Farro Risotto, Charred Cauliflower Puree, Ras el Hanout Carrots, Spinach Emulsion
This Farro Risotto recipe presented by Katlego Mlambo, the Executive Sous Chef at Four Seasons, The Westcliff, and a judge on MasterChef South Africa, at this year's Johannesburg Good Life Show is utterly delicious. It is complemented by Charred Cauliflower Puree, Ras el Hanout Carrots, and Spinach Emulsion.
Ingredients
Charred Cauliflower Puree
- 2 heads cauliflower (roughly chopped)
- Coconut oil for cooking
- Kosher Salt
Spinach Emulsion
- 200 g Mccain Garden Spinach
- 30 ml Dijon mustard
- 500 ml olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 1 lemon
Ras El Hanout Roasted Carrots
- 100 g Ras el Hanout spice blend
- 2 L carrots
- Kosher salt
- Olive oil for cooking
Farro Risotto
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 250 g Flora Plant Bake
- 1 onion finely chopped (roughly 1 cup)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme plus more for garnishing
- 1½ C Farro
- 30 g coriander finely chopped
- 1 Jalapeno finely chopped
- 250 ml dry white wine
- 1 thumb of ginger finely grated
- 2 lemons
- oil for cooking
Instructions
Charred Cauliflower Puree
- Coarsely chop the cauliflower and discard the stems (keep the stems, as they will be used for garnish later).
- In a large saucepan, heat 40 ml of coconut oil. Once the oil begins to smoke, add the chopped cauliflower along with a generous pinch of salt.
- Stir the cauliflower every 10 minutes, allowing it to caramelize fully for a lovely brown, caramelised finish.
- Once done, remove from the pot, transfer to a food processor, and blend until smooth and silky. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Spinach Emulsion
- Blanche the spinach and squeeze out any excess water, then place it in a food processor along with the mustard.
- Blend the mixture while gradually adding oil to achieve emulsification.
- Season to taste, and incorporate lemon juice if desired.
Ras El Hanout Roasted Carrots
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- Generously season the carrots with Ras El Hanout spice, then place them on a roasting tray.
- Roast until they are soft and tender, but ensure they are not overcooked; this should take approximately 35 minutes.
- Once done, remove the carrots from the oven and let them cool before serving.
Farro Risotto
- Place the vegetable stock in medium saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Keep over very low heat.
- In a large saucepan, heat 30g Flora Plant Bake over medium heat until melted and lightly bubbling. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and jalapeno along with a generous sprinkle of kosher salt, and sauté over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the farro and toast over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
- The farro will crackle lightly and the pan should be mostly dry.
- Pour in the white wine and cook over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the wine is fully absorbed. Next, add hot broth to the pot and stir continuously. Lower the heat to maintain a steady simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. The farro should be tender (with a slight chewiness in the center), and the risotto should have thickened by the end of this cooking time.
- Incorporate a generous amount of charred cauliflower puree to achieve a creamy texture. If the risotto becomes too thick, feel free to add additional Flora Plant Bake and vegetable stock.
- Remove the pot from heat, cover, and allow the risotto to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Garnish:
- Roasted cashew nuts
- Carrot tops
- Micro herbs
- Thinly sliced cauliflower stems and florets
- To serve and complete:
- Spoon a ladle of risotto into a warm bowl
- Top with sliced Ras El Hanout roasted carrots, cauliflower shavings, roasted cashew nuts, micro herbs, and carrot tops
- Drizzle with spinach emulsion