Sweetcorn Velouté - With tempura prawns
Serves 4

4 cobs ripe yellow sweetcorn
21/2C (750ml) mineral water
1 large onion, sliced
15g butter
150ml cream

Turnip purée
1 Tbsp (15ml) butter
½ onion, finely chopped
2 turnips, sliced
100ml cream

Prawns
Vegetable oil for deep frying
50g plus 20g cornflour
40g flour
1 small can very cold soda water
8 small prawns de-veined, de-shelled
Plus 1 extra prawn for testing

Garnishes
4 fresh quail eggs (optional)
1 cob ripe yellow corn
1 ripe tomato, skinned, diced (brunoise)
15g chives, chopped
40g micro greens or chervil or rocket, finely sliced
Maldon sea salt and pepper to taste

Sweetcorn velouté
Cut the kernels from four of the cobs and reserve.
To make the sweetcorn stock: cover the four stripped cobs with mineral water, bring to the boil, and boil for only about 3-5 minutes before removing. Continue to reduce remaining stock by a third. Reserve stock.

Meanwhile, melt butter and gently soften onion over a low to medium heat  for 8 minutes. Be careful not to brown them as this will make the velouté bitter. Add the reserved corn kernels and soften for a further 4 minutes. Add 1C (250ml) of the sweetcorn stock and 150ml cream and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Liquidise in a blender until a smooth purée forms. If the velouté is too thick add more stock – it should be the consistency of a thick soup. Season to taste.

Turnip purée
Sauté onion in butter until softened but not brown. Add sliced peeled turnip and a little water and cook until al dente. Add 100ml cream and reduce slightly. Liquidise in a blender until turnip mixture forms a smooth fairly thick purée. This should be thicker than the velouté. Season to taste.

Quail eggs
Boil six quail eggs (optional) for 2 ½ minutes. Plunge into cold water, peel and cut in half lengthways.

Blackened corn
Take the remaining cob of corn with kernels intact, rub olive oil and salt then blacken in a hot dry pan, turning until charred all over. Once cooked, cut kernels of cob with a sharp knife and reserve.

Diced tomato
Place tomato into water that has just boiled for 30 seconds, then remove and place into cold water (refresh). The skin will come off easily. Cit skinned fresh tomato into quarters, scoop out pips and juice, and dice finely (brunoise).

Tempura prawns
Heat oil to 180˚C - 190˚C. Lightly mix all the flour and 50g of cornflour with ice cold soda water into a slightly thick batter. Test one prawn first before you fry the others to ensure the temperature of the oil is correct and the batter is the right consistency. Add more soda water if too thick or more flour if too runny. Dust the test prawn lightly in the remaining flour before you coat it in batter, which help to make the batter stick. Dip into batter and deep fry for approximately 1 ½ to 2 minutes, until lightly golden and cooked. Adjust temperature if necessary. Serve immediately.

To serve
Ensure bowls are warm and the sweetcorn velouté and turnip puree are warm. Gently warm the tomato and blackened corn in a pan in butter for 1 minute. Season and add chives. Fry prawns.
To plate:  Put a quail egg in the bottom of each bowl (if you are using), then spoon turnip purée into the centre of the bowl and scatter tomato-corn mix around the edges. Place prawns on purée, with curves inter-locked. Garnish with micro greens sprinkled on top of prawns. Pour soup into a milk jug and pour into guests’ bowl whilst they are seated.

Chef:
Darren Roberts - Grande Provence (view profile)