The Black Swan’s Chicory Root and Potato Dessert featured in For the Love of the Land.
There’s no better time to celebrate the stories and recipes of some of the UK’s finest farmers who specialise in a diverse array of produce; from game, pork, lamb, beef, cheese and dairy to the more unusual such as lavender.
Generations of Tommy Banks’ family have farmed on land surrounding his Black Swan restaurant in Oldstead and their produce plays an integral part in all of Tommy’s seasonal recipes both here and Roots in York.
His recipe is included in For The Love of the Land, compiled by Jenny Jones, herself a farmer’s wife.
‘I hope this collection of stories and of the farmers’ favourite recipes is simply enjoyed for its food, provenance and for the sharing of good and positive stories. This is a celebration of British farming – enjoy!,’ she says.
For the Love of the Land, £22. Available from Amazon, bookshops including Waterstones and mezepublishing.co.uk.
The Black Swan’s
Chicory Root and Potato Dessert
‘Chicory is a unique and flavoursome ingredient that was traditionally grown in the UK during the world wars as a coffee substitute. We pair it with late season Charlotte or Linda potatoes in this dessert, as the starch and sweetness ratio is perfect’, says Tommy.
Preparation time: 1 hour, plus 5 hours chilling and freezing
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 12
Ingredients
For the potato mousse
550g garden potatoes
600g whole milk
75g butter
110g sugar
1½ leaves of gelatine
600ml whipping cream
For the chicory parfait
90g caster sugar
30g liquid glucose
1½ leaves of gelatine
300g whipping cream
90g egg yolks
6g chicory powder
For the chicory caramel
150g caster sugar
75g glucose
5g chicory powder
110g cream, warmed
125g butter
3g sea salt
For the chicory crumble
200g butter
105g dark brown sugar
60g caster sugar
190g plain flour
3 tsp chicory root powder, plus extra for dusting
12g baking powder
6g sea salt Method
method
For the potato foam
Wash and peel the potatoes, then slice them 0.5cm thick straight into cold water. Dry the slices and place them in a pan with all the ingredients except the gelatine and cream. Cook over a medium heat until the potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in cold water for five minutes then squeeze out the excess water. Add to the potato mixture, blend for five minutes to activate the starch, pour the mixture through a fine metal sieve into a bowl, then cover and leave to chill in the fridge. Whip the cream to medium peaks, then fold it into the potato mixture to form a light mousse.
For the chicory parfait
In a pan, heat the sugar, glucose and 25ml of water to 120°C. Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes then squeeze out the excess water and whip the cream to soft peaks. Whisk the egg yolks until light then slowly add the syrup to them. Add the gelatine and chicory powder, whisk until cool, then fold in the cream. Transfer the mixture to a small container and leave to set in the freezer for 4 hours alongside a chopping board. When set, cut the parfait into twelve portions on the chopping board and return to the freezer.
For the chicory caramel
Combine the sugar and glucose in a small pan and melt without stirring over a medium heat until you have a dark caramel. Stir the chicory into the warm cream, slowly add the mixture to the caramel, then slowly add the butter while stirring continuously so the caramel emulsifies and you have a smooth mixture. Sprinkle in the sea salt then leave the caramel to cool.
For the chicory crumble
Cream the butter with both types of sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to form a paste. Press this into an airtight container and freeze until solid. Grate the mixture onto a lined or non-stick baking tray, then bake for 7 minutes at 160°C. Remove the tray from the oven, carefully break up the crumble, then return to the oven to cook for another 7 minutes. Leave the cooked crumble to cool and firm up.
To serve
Warm the chicory caramel gently in a pan. Divide the chicory crumble between twelve bowls. Place one portion of parfait on top. Take the potato mousse out of the fridge, fold with a spoon to loosen it slightly and spoon some into each bowl. Dust lightly with chicory powder. As you serve the dessert, pour over the warmed caramel. u
