Up and Coming Gluten-free Chef of the Year - Runner Up

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Starter

Butternut Squash Tartlet

 Main Course

Dab with polenta cakes, beurre blanc and parsnip puree

 Dessert

Banana and Honey

Butternut Squash Tartlet

Pureed Butternut Squash in a rice flour Tartlet, Red Pepper Jelly and Balsamic Reduction

Rice flour pastry: Ingredients:

220g Rice Flour

1tspn Xanthan Gum

100g Unsalted Butter, diced

Cold Milk to Bind

Method:

In a food processor mix rice flour, xanthan gum and a pinch of salt with the diced butter until crumb texture.

Gradually add milk and mix until a firm dough is formed.

Cling film and chill for 30minutes before rolling.

Line 4 tartlet cases for recipe, blind bake.

Red pepper jelly: Ingredients:

3 medium red peppers

1 sprig thyme

500ml chicken stock

3 leaves gelatine

Method:

Prepare and roast the peppers with the thyme and seasoning for 20 minutes in a moderate oven.

Place in a pan with the cold stock and bring to the boil, blitz with a stick blender and allow to drip through a muslin cloth for 1 hour.

Soak the gelatine and reheat the pepper liquid, season to taste and whisk in the gelatine.

Pour into a small tray lined with cling film and allow to set in the fridge before cutting into cubes.

Balsamic glaze: Ingredients:

100ml balsamic vinegar

50ml sweet red wine

1tspn castor sugar

Method:

Bring all ingredients to boil and reduce.

Butternut Squash filling: Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash prepared and dice

2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks

Method:

Sous vide the squash and steam until soft with enough hot chicken stock to make a puree, season to taste.

Fold in the egg whites and spoon into cooked pastry cases.

Bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes until golden.

Dab with polenta cakes, beurre blanc and parsnip puree

Polenta coated sautéed Dab fillets on herb polenta cakes and creamed parsnip with carrot batons, peas and beurre blanc

3 Dab fillets per portion coated in polenta and sautéed in light olive oil until golden

Polenta cakes: Ingredients

260ml milk

1tbspn olive oil

Small bunch of herbs (thyme, rosemary, bay, parsley)

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

100g polenta

Method:

Bring the milk, oil, garlic and herbs to the boil and remove from heat and allow to infuse for 10 minutes.

Pass the milk through a fine sieve and bring back to the boil, season and shower in the polenta, whisking continuously. Cook out.

Pour out onto double lined cling film and roll into a thick sausage shape. Chill to set.

Slice and sauté to colour and bake to re-heat.

Beurre blanc: Ingredients:

2 shallots- roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic- crushed

2 sprigs thyme

750g butter- diced

50ml double cream

200ml chicken stock

150ml white wine

Method:

Boil the white wine, stock, shallots, garlic and thyme until reduced.

Add the cream and reduce again.

Reduce heat and gradually emulsify the butter into the reduction.

Season and pass.

Parsnip puree: (follow recipe for butternut squash but use part cream to blend to a puree).

Banana and Honey

Banana Créme Bavarois topped with caramelised banana, honey and banana frozen yoghurt, pecan nuts and meringue tuille

Caramelise bananas with demerara sugar

Coat pecan nut in clear blossom honey

Meringue tuille: Ingredients:

200g egg whites

400g castor sugar

Method:

Whisk together on a high speed until stiff and holds shape well

Use a piping bag with a star nozzle to pipe into long thin tuilles

Cook in a low oven for 20 minutes until crisp

Banana Mousse: Ingredients:

190g sweetened banana puree

9 egg yolks

30g castor sugar

2 leaves gelatine, soaked

225g double cream

25g dark rum

Method:

Whisk together the yolks and sugar until smooth

Heat the puree in a heavy based pan and temper with the yolks, return to the pan and cook out, whisking continuously

Remove from heat, dissolve in the gelatine and chill to room temperature

Meanwhile, whisk the cream until firm and add the rum.

Fold cream into banana mix and spoon into large round moulds, chill to set

Remove from rings using a blow torch

Banana and honey frozen yoghurt: Ingredients:

1 ripe banana, mashed

25g clear honey

100ml natural yoghurt

50ml sweetened banana puree

Method:

Combine all ingredients and place in a ice cream machine and churn until firm

Place in freezer for 1 hour before using

Ideas: I have aimed to keep the recipes simple yet the ideas, combinations and presentation slightly more complex to give the dishes a more appetizing appearance. I have used a variety of textures and an array of colours to make the dishes more appealing to not only glutenA protein that is found in the cereals wheat, barley and rye. intolerant customers, but all customers.