The Cape Grace is currently serving a Vegan Tasting Menu in their Signal Restaurant which includes six courses paired with five Cap Classiques. The final course – a flamboyant dessert of strawberry soup, raspberry sorbet and blueberry tart – is paired with the Saltare MCC Brut NV. Executive sous chef Lerrico Messina calls his creation Study of Berries and he agreed to share his recipe (which serves 4) with us:
Strawberry soup:
800g strawberries
80g castor sugar
Place the strawberries and sugar together into a stainless steel bowl and wrap tightly with cling wrap. Place on to a double boiler and allow to steep for about 2 hours.
Blackberry foam:
250g blackberries
50g sugar
400ml boiling water
1tsp soya lecithin
Place the berries and sugar into a jug blender and add 200ml of water. Allow to steep and then pulse. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a deep container and add the remaining water and lecithin.
Raspberry Sorbet:
2 ¼ cups sugar
2 ¼ cups water
3kg raspberries
¼ cup fresh lime juice
Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool completely
Place the raspberries and lime juice in a food processor and purée the raspberry purée through a strainer to remove the seeds. When the sugar syrup has cooled completely, combine with the raspberry purée
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze
Cranberry Praline:
½ cup sugar
½ cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted lightly and skinned, roughly chopped
Lightly oil two baking sheets. In a dry heavy saucepan cook sugar over moderate heat; don’t stir but swirl the pan, until a golden caramel. Add cranberries and hazelnuts, stirring until coated well. Immediately pour mixture onto baking sheet and place the other baking sheet on top. Very carefully roll the praline to desired thickness, and allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove praline from baking sheet and break into pieces.
Blueberry Tart:
Sweet pastry:
150g margarine, softened (blossom)
100g castor sugar
1tsp lemon zest
240g plain flour
Cream the margarine, sugar and zest together. Then sift the flour onto a clean work surface in to a mound. Make a well in the centre of the mound and add the creamed mixture. Knead lightly until the dough is consistent and then wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Line a small flan tin and blind bake 180°C for 10 minutes. Then remove the blind beans and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or golden brown.
Blueberry Filling:
4 cups blueberries
1½ cup sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
Put all ingredients into a thick based saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes or once the berries just start to disintegrate.
To complete:
4 x Triple shot glass
4 x long plate
8 x blackberries
Pour some of the soup in the glass. Place 2 blackberries into the soup and froth up the foam with a hand blender. Place this to the left of the plate.
Put some of the praline crumbs in the centre of the plate (so that the sorbet doesn’t move about). Then a scoop of sorbet and garnish with a shard of the praline.
Place a tart case on the right of the plate and in a saucepan heat up some of the blueberry compote. Spoon this into the tart case and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Pour a chilled glass of Saltare MCC Brut NV and indulge!
Tags: cape grace, mcc, pairing
