Savory Almond Nougat Soup With Artichokes and Ceps

By corlear

Ingredients

• For the fried almonds:
• 5 cups almonds, whole and raw
• 16 cups 0.4º olive oil
• salt
• For the fried almond milk:
• 3 cups fried almonds (see previous step)
• 1 1/4 cup water
• For the fried almond praline:
• 1 1/2 oz fried almond oil (see previous step)
• 1 3/4 cup fried almonds (see previous step)
• For the savory almond soup:
• 1/2 cup almond milk (see previous step)
• 1 1/2 cup fried almond oil (see previous step)
• 3 1/2 oz almond praline (see previous step)
• salt
• For the milk foam:
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup single cream (35% fat)
• 1 1-pint ISI foaming canister
• 1 N2O cartridge
• salt
• For the vanilla oil:
• 1 vanilla pod (1/8 oz each)
• 1 1/2 tbsp sunflower oil
• For the artichoke hearts:
• 2 cups artichokes
• sunflower oil
• water
• For the ceps:
• 6 button ceps (2/3 oz each)
• To finish:
• Maldon salt

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

For the fried almonds:
1. Put the almonds in the cold oil and fry them over a low heat.
2. Stir and remove from the heat when they are golden brown.
3. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil. Season with salt while they are still hot.

For the fried almond milk:
1. Mix the almonds with the water and apply two bursts in the Thermomix to break up the almond so that that it is easier to hydrate them.
2. Leave to rest in the fridge for 12 hours.
3. Liquefy twice in the blender and strain.

For the fried almond praline:
1. While the fried almonds are still hot, place them in the Thermomix at a setting of 140ºF.
2. Process and gradually add the oil. Process until you have a creamy consistency.
3. Season with salt, strain and keep in a baster.

For the savory almond soup:
1. Put the almond milk in a blender and gradually add the praline and oil until you get an emulsion.
2. Season with salt and keep in the fridge.
Note: The longer that the mixture is in the blender, the more emulsified it will become.
If you overblend it, it will no longer be a soup.

For the milk foam:
1. Mix the milk and cream together. Season with salt.
2. Strain and fill the canister using a funnel.
3. Foam and leave to rest in the fridge for 2 hours.

For the vanilla oil:
1. Open the vanilla pod lengthwise.
2. Scrape out the seeds and mix with the oil.
3. Press through a fine sieve.
4. Leave to marinade for 6 hours.

For the artichoke hearts:
1. Remove the leaves from the artichokes around the stem until you reach the heart. Cut them into 12 wedges, which should be approx. ¾". Put the artichokes in water and stop them from turning brown by covering them with enough sunflower oil to form a layer over the surface and stop the air from entering.
Note: We now replace the oil with parsley as a result of its anti-oxidant powers.

For the ceps:
1. Clean the ceps and cut them in half vertically.

Finishing Touches & Presentation:
1. Season the ceps with salt and seal them on both sides. Season the artichokes with salt and lightly sauté them, without allowing them to brown.
2. Scatter almond praline dots over the bottom of a soup dish.
3. Put each artichoke with a cep on top (with the cut side upwards) at an equal distant from each other in the lower half of the dish. The artichokes and the ceps have to be very hot.
4. Use a dessertspoon to put a quenelle of milk foam on the upper half of the dish, and drizzle the vanilla oil and scatter Maldon salt on top of the quenelle.
5. Stir the soup and serve in a jug.