Mushroom cream, butternut and chestnut gnocchi and coffee foam

Here's a winter starter that's both comforting and surprising.

I proposed this starter at my plant-based fine dining on 17 February 2024 and I wanted to share it with you.

Ingredients (for 4 plates)

For the mushroom cream :

• 500g mushrooms

• 15g margarine or vegetable oil

• 60 cl vegetable stock

• 1 shallot

• 1 onion

• 15cl vegetable cream

• salt and pepper

For the gnocchi :

• 400g butternut

• 100g potato

• 100g chestnut flour

• 2 tbsp potato starch

• zest of half a lemon

• salt, pepper, nutmeg

For the pan-fried mushrooms :

• 50g shiitake mushrooms

• 50g oyster mushrooms

• 50g brown mushrooms

• 50g shimeji

• 1 clove garlic

• 10g parsley

For the coffee foam :

• 20cl sugar-free soya milk (must be soya milk otherwise there will be no foam) 1 tbsp freeze-dried coffee

Method

For the mushroom cream :

1. Finely chop the onion and shallot, then cut the mushrooms into 4.

2. Fry the shallot and onion with a little salt in the melted margarine.

3. Add the mushrooms and a little salt to drain off the water. Leave to cook for 5 mins.

4. Add the vegetable stock and cook for a further 10 mins.

5. Blend and add the cream to obtain a velvety consistency.

6. Season and keep warm.
   

For the gnocchi :

1. Peel and cut the butternut and potatoes into large cubes.

2. Place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and brush with a little oil, salt and pepper.

3. Place in the oven at 180°C for 20 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and mash to a fine purée using a potato masher.

5. Add the flour, potato starch and lemon zest.

6. Mix until you have a smooth, non-sticky dough. Add a little flour if necessary.

7. Take a little of the dough in your hands and roll out into a thin ball on a floured work surface. Cut into 2-3 cm lengths.

8. Bring a pan of water to the boil with coarse salt.

9. Dip the gnocchi in the water and remove when they have risen to the surface.

10. Drain and fry in a pan with a little oil to crisp up the gnocchi. Keep warm.

For the pan-fried mushrooms:

1. Chop all the mushrooms, peel the garlic and chop the parsley.

2. Brown the mushrooms with a little salt in a hot pan.

3. Grate the garlic over them and add the chopped parsley at the end of cooking.

For the coffee foam :

1. Mix the milk and freeze-dried coffee in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

2. Using an immersion blender, create a froth on the surface of the pan.

Serving:

1. Pour the velouté into a soup plate.

2. Arrange a few crispy gnocchi in the centre and a few fried mushrooms around them.

3. Finish with three dots of coffee foam.

Enjoy!

Don't hesitate to share your comments with me and tag me on social networks (@oxaliscuisinevg) if you try out the recipe at home.