Hispi cabbage, baby leek, chive, Lincolnshire poacher, parsley

  • medium
  • 4
  • 5 hours 10 minutes
Not yet rated

This wintery dish from Gabriel Waterhouse pairs a rich Lincolnshire Poacher fondue with charred and roasted leeks and hispi cabbage. The charred vegetables become deliciously crispy and sweet, and are balanced with a fresh parsley sauce and tart apple juice reduction.

First published in 2022
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Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Lincolnshire Poacher Fondue

  • 300g of Lincolnshire poacher cheese
  • 300g of double cream
  • 300g of cider, plus extra for rewarming
  • 18g of cornflour
  • salt

Apple Reduction

Apple Vinegar Gel

  • 250ml of water
  • 150g of apple cider vinegar
  • 100g of cane sugar
  • 7g of agar agar

Chive Oil

  • 100g of fresh chives, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 200ml of olive oil

Parsley Puree

To Finish

Equipment

  • Muslin cloth
  • Blowtorch

Method

1

For the fondue, measure the cheese, cream, cider and cornflour into a pan. Set over a low heat and carefully bring the ingredients together to a simmer using a whisk

  • 300g of Lincolnshire poacher cheese
  • 300g of double cream
  • 300g of cider, plus extra for rewarming
  • 18g of cornflour
2

Once all the ingredients are combined, season with salt and pass through a fine sieve

3

Store in a container and cover the surface with clingfilm to prevent a skin from forming. Keep in the fridge until needed

4

To make the apple cider reduction, heat the apple juice in a wide saucepan over a high heat until reduced to roughly 100ml

5

For the apple cider vinegar gel, mix the water, apple cider vinegar, sugar and agar agar in a pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for two minutes then pour into a container to cool and leave in the fridge to set for 1 hour

  • 250ml of water
  • 150g of apple cider vinegar
  • 100g of cane sugar
  • 7g of agar agar
6

Once set, transfer to a blender and blend to a smooth puree. Set aside

7

For the chive oil, place the chives and oil into a jug blender with a lid fitted loosely to allow any steam to escape

  • 100g of fresh chives, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 200ml of olive oil
8

Blend the chives and oil on high speed for several minutes. The herb oil might warm up slightly and produce some steam and the chives should begin to split from the oil

9

Set a piece of muslin cloth or a fine tea towel over a sieve and pass the mixture, collecting the oil in a receptacle below. Discard the pulp and store the oil in the fridge until needed

10

For the parsley puree, begin by placing a tray in the freezer which will be used to cool down the puree. Cooling the puree quickly is the key to retaining its vibrant colour

11

Blanch the parsley leaves in heavily salted boiling water for 40 seconds until tender

12

Transfer to a jug blender and blend on full speed for 2 minutes until smooth. If the puree is struggling to blend or is too dry, you can add a small amount of the hot blanching water to achieve the correct consistency

13

Pour the puree onto your frozen tray and spread around the tray to form a thin layer allowing it to cool quickly. Transfer back to the freezer if needed until cold

14

Store in a container in the fridge until needed

15

Next, make the charred hispi cabbage and baby leeks. First, remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and cut into quarters, keeping the stem intact so that the leaves stay together

16

Cut each quarter in half again to get 8 wedges. Season with salt

17

Steam the wedges for 20 minutes until tender. Leave to cool at room temperature

18

Brush the cabbage with oil and season with fine sea salt. Use a blowtorch to char the outer leaves. Alternatively char these over a barbecue or on a grill

19

Once charred, set aside to cool

20

Slice the cooled cabbage into 1cm slices and dress in the apple juice reduction. Leave to macerate

21

Blanch the leeks for two minutes in heavily salted boiling water, then drain well

22

Toss the leeks with a dash of olive oil and season with fine sea salt

23

Lightly char the leeks using a blowtorch until blackened and crisp, then cut them into 1 inch sections

24

To serve, first preheat the oven to 165°C/gas mark 3

25

Gently warm the cabbage and leek pieces on a tray in the oven for 10 minutes

26

Take your plates and place a full spoonful of the parsley puree into the bottom of each one

27

Remove the cabbage and leeks from the oven and place them onto the puree. Dress the cabbage and leeks with a little more apple reduction. Place a few drops of the apple cider vinegar gel around and onto the vegetables and finish with the chive oil and nasturtium leaves

28

Warm the fondue sauce in a pan and season with salt and a glug of cider right at the end. Serve this on the side in jugs ready to pour over at the table

First published in 2022
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Determined to move away from the world of traditional fine dining, Gabriel Waterhouse started a supper club out of his own Hackney flat. Over time, this has evolved into his own permanent restaurant The Water House Project, where he serves a regularly changing tasting menu to guests in a deliberately relaxed and convivial atmosphere.

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