If you have any of the Gu oven-proof glass ramekins you are lucky – this starter looks great in those as you see the green and white layers clearly. There are two ingredients which can be difficult to source: black truffle – Ocado or Waitrose have these usually, or you can get it on Amazon, they cost about £8; and dried wasabi peas – again, from Ocado or Waitrose, or Amazon.
for six
for the mashed potatoes
- 60g/½ cup smash instant potato
- 70ml/¼cup just boiled water
- 1 x chicken stock cube dissolved in it
- 215ml/¾cup full milk (or you can use 410g tin evaporated milk and an ⅛ cup more stock
- smoked salt and WHITE pepper
- just under an eighth of a pack of butter (20-30g)
- 1 clove of garlic, mashed
- 300g cauliflower
- 300g frozen peas
- 4 tsp smoked salt
- 20g finely sliced black truffle
- 60g dried wasabi peas
- 2 eggs
- 4 tbsp double cream
- knob of butter
- preheat the oven to 200ºC
- then make up some instant mashed potatoes:
- heat the milk to nearly boiling, but DO NOT LET IT BOIL
- mix all the first seven ingredients together with a fork – heat if necessary
- cook the cauliflower for just under ten minutes, whizz with 2 tbsp double cream with a stick blender
- cook the peas in the butter (no water) for about five minutes, whizz with 2 tbsp double cream with a stick blender.
- put the pea and the cauliflower mixes into two separate bowls and to each add half the potato, an egg, and 2 tsp of smoked salt
- divide the cauliflower mix in half and divide half among your six ramekins
- divide the pea mix between the ramekins, on top of the cauliflower mix
- top with the rest of the cauliflower mix
- put in the oven for about twenty minutes (or if you are using the top right oven of the aga it may take a little less time)
- crush the wasabi peas in a pestle and mortar and use to garnish the starter with the black truffle. BE SPARING some people find it quite spicey – serve what remains for people to help themselves with more.