Enjoy the taste of Spring

Mushrooms, parsley and onion béchamel sauce

Parsley béchamel sauce
Ingredients:
Infusion:
450 ml of milk
20 gr finely chopped onion
3 Szechuan peppers
3 coriander seeds

Roux:
35 gr butter
35 gr flour
55 gr parsley

Method:
Place all the infusion ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil on a medium heat. On boiling, remove and cover the pan with Clingfilm to seal in the steam and leave to stand for 20 minutes.
In another pan, fully melt the 35 gr of butter and, when taking on a slightly golden colour, combine the flour and continue stirring to prevent burning. Sieve the infusion and add to the roux, always stirring on a medium heat. When attaining an even texture, remove from the heat and blend. Add the 55 gr of parsley while the initial béchamel sauce is still warm to facilitate its grinding. Season with salt and pepper and serve lukewarm.

Porcino Mushroom Purée
Ingredients:
150 gr porcino mushrooms
120 gr of chestnuts
Butter – 20 % of the total weight

Method:
Boil the chestnuts in a pan of salted water. Stir fry the mushrooms in some
Olive oil until fully cooked.
Weigh the chestnuts and the mushrooms and then grind. While continuing to grind, add 20% of the total weight in butter.
Note: add the butter while the purée is still hot to facilitate emulsification.

Vegetables:
2 baby carrots
2 asparagus sticks
2 small onions

Method :
Boil the baby carrots and asparagus sticks in water and salt. When cooked, stop this process by immersing in iced water.
Introduce two spoons of butter into a casserole dish and melt until golden. Add the onions and cook until tender.

Shallot confit
Ingredients:
2 small shallots
30 gr of olive oil
6 gr of fine salt

Method:
Place all the ingredients into a vacuum bag and steam cook at 85º for 35 minutes.

Onion Purée
Ingredients:
10 averagely sized onions
150 gr cream
15 gr lemon thyme
Garlic
Olive oil

Method :
Chop the onion into fine slices and add to the already warmed olive oil in a large pan. Cover and leave to cook for three to four hours or until the onions have taken on a brownish tone and stirring every five minutes while always replacing the lid to trap the steam inside the pan. Grind the thyme and the garlic with six soup spoons of olive oil. Add to the onion and cook for a further three minutes. Drain the onions to remove any excess fat and weigh. Place the mixture into a blender and add the cream and an amount of butter corresponding to 20% of the previously established weight.

Mushrooms
Blewit mushrooms
Porcini mushrooms
Eryngii / King oyster mushrooms

Method:
Cut each mushroom up into four, stir fry with salt and red pepper. Add four soup spoons of chicken stock and two teaspoons of butter. Cook while continuously stirring in order to glaze the mushrooms. Serve immediately.

Laurel Crème Brullè

Ingredients:
285 gr of cream
44 gr of sugar
4 laurel leaves
2 yolks
1 egg
2 sheets of gelatine

Method:
Beat the yolks, egg and sugar until attaining a whitish colour. In a small pan, warm the cream and the laurel leaves until reaching boiling point. Cover with Clingfilm throughout 20 minutes. Then, add the infusion to the egg and sugar and mix until smooth. Add to a pan and cook at a temperature of 80º. After two minutes add the gelatine, previously soaked in cold water, and use a fork to help fully dissolve. Remove and pour into moulds and chill for three hours. When ready for serving, cover with caster sugar before caramelising with a blowtorch. Serve.

Capresi Salad

Pesto
Ingredients:
335 gr Basil
40 gr Grated parmesan
50 gr Pine nuts
18 gr Garlic
800 gr Olive oil

Method :
Place the 335g of fresh basil leaves in a pan with water and boil before removing after two minutes and placing the leaves in iced water to stop further cooking. Drain all the water. In a blender, add the pine nuts, the garlic, basil and parmesan. Blend while drizzling in the olive oil until reaching a semi-uniform texture.

Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
300 gr Olive oil
100 gr Grape nut oil
50 gr Nut oil
150 gr White wine vinegar
50 gr White balsamic vinegar
30 gr Honey
30 gr Dijon mustard

Method:
Measure out all the blue coloured ingredients into a jug. Add the red ingredients into a large bowl and beat until smooth. Slowly combine all the contents of the jug with that in the bowl, stirring continuously. Add salt and pepper to season.

Mozzarella
Ingredients:
1 fresh mozzarella

Method:
Cut the mozzarella into four pieces.

Tomato
Ingredients:
2 tomatoes

Method:
Cut the tomatoes into one centimetre thick slices.

Rocket salad
Ingredients:
Fresh rocket – 45g

Method:
Wash in cold water, rip the largest leaves apart.

About the author

Daniel Marreiros (21) The youngest chef in Portugal, he runs the kitchen of the restaurant “O Leão de Porches” in Lagoa. With a passion for vegetarian cuisine, he loves cooking with mushrooms and truffles. A native of Portimão, he goes shopping every day and uses fresh, local, organic ingredients.