Roasted butternut squash and burned cauliflower

(For 4 portions)

• 4 Aikiba Leaves
• 1 small cauliflower  
• 2 small pieces of butternut squash      
• 1L vegetable stock 
• 60g butter 
• lemon juice of ½ lemon 
• 2 pinches ground nutmeg 
• 1 pinch table salt  
• 2 pinches ground white pepper   
• 40g cooked soya beans 
• a few pumpkin seeds      

• Peel and cut each butternut squash sideways in two long pieces.
• Deseed and cut the top of each one of them, you will obtain 4 pieces with the cavities for roasting and 4 pieces without cavity that you’ll dice to make the puree.
• Pour 30g of butter in a hot frying pan and sear each piece (with cavity) flat side down in order to get a nice colouration. Take out of the pan, season well and finish to cook in the oven.
• Cut the cauliflower into 4 chunky slices and cook in the vegetable stock until tender.
• Take out the cauliflower and use the same stock to cook the pieces of butternut squash for the puree. Once cooked drain and smash into a puree with the lemon juice, the rest of the butter, the ground nutmeg and seasoning.
• Fill each cavity of cooked butternut squash with the puree, reheat and burn the cooked slices of cauliflower with a blow torch and add each piece on top.
• Add the burned soya beans and pumpkin seeds.
• Serve with a leaf of Aikiba Leaves.
• Aikiba Leaves add a touch of sourness to the dish which makes a perfect food pairing.

Recipe: Franck Pontais