Serves 25
Ingredients
Caramel
50g isomalt
50g glucose
Squid ink and onion purée
150g onions, quartered
50g vegetable stock
Salt
50g caramel powder
10ml squid ink
Chakalaka marmalade
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
½ red chilli, finely chopped
½ garlic clove, finely chopped
15g treacle sugar
5g bbq spice
5g curry powder
200g tomato concassé
Parsnip cream
100g parsnips, peeled and chopped
50g vegetable stock
50g single cream
10g unsalted butter
Salt
Method
Caramel
Place the isomalt and glucose in a small pot and place over medium heat. Bring the caramel up to154˚c, and pour out onto a silicone mat. When cold and hard, break it up and blend into a fine powder.
Squid ink and onion purée
Place the onions with the vegetable stock in a pot and reduce until all the liquid has evaporated and the onions are soft and translucent. Season with salt and add the caramel powder and the squid ink. Stir over over a low heat until the caramel has dissolved. Blend the mixture until smooth and pass through a fine sieve. Place a rectangular template on a silpat mat and spread the mixture out thinly. Bake at 120°c for 40 minutes. Mould the rectangles around a stick while warm to create a cigar shape. Leave to cool and fill with purées.
Chakalaka marmalade
Combine the onion, red pepper, chilli and garlic, and sweat together for 10 mins. Add the treacle sugar, bbq spice, curry powder and tomato concassé, and simmer over a very low heat until completely reduced. Blend and pass.
Parsnip cream
Melt the butter in a medium-sized pot, add the parsnips and sweat over a low heat until soft. Add the vegetable stock and the cream. Reduce the liquid by half and season with salt. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve. Leave to cool and place in a small piping bag.