Pine Nut Cornbread, Sweet Potato & Sweet Corn Cream
Pine nut cornbread
Handful of pine nuts, toasted
3 tablespoons butter
400ml buttermilk
150g cornmeal
100g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Sweet potato puree
1 sweet potato
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Pinch of ground black pepper
Sweet corn cream
1 corn on the cob, kernels cut off the cob “keep the cob”
2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
400ml chicken stock
300ml double cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of saffron (optional)
Garnish
2 raw chard or pak choy leaves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Pine nut cornbread
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, pine nuts, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt.
2. Using another bowl, mix the butter and buttermilk, add this mixture to the cornmeal mix and thoroughly combine.
3. Grease an 8inch baking dish “or individual moulds” with a little butter then pour the cornbread mixture in, bake at 200°c/400°f for 25 minutes, check with a toothpick or knife, if it comes out clean and hot then its ready.
Sweet potato puree
Bake the sweet potato at 175°c/350°f for roughly 40 minutes. To test if cooked, wrap it in a tea towel, and give it a little squeeze to check. It shouldn’t be rock hard and should be slightly soft.
Peel the skin off, then mash up in a bowl along with the honey, salt and pepper.
Creamed sweet corn
1. Using a medium sized saucepan on medium heat, add the olive oil, sweetcorn, the cob and the shallots. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes then add the chicken stock.
2. Simmer until the stock has reduced by half, then add the cream. Cook down until the cream has thickened, roughly 20 minutes. discard the cob.
3. Puree the sauce then pass through a strainer to remove any skins of corn.
Garnish
1. Using a medium sized skillet on medium heat, add the olive oil, then add the chard leaf, fry on both sides for only 13 seconds.
2. Place the chard leaf onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper, sprinkle a touch of salt onto it then place another piece of paper on top. Put a tray
directly on top to weigh down the leaf, this will help it set into a nice flat crispy leaf, then bake at 150°c/300°f for 25 minutes or until the leaf is crisp to the touch.