Cauliflower and Gruyère cheese mousse, caramelised artichoke, smoked almond, puffed rice

Instructions

1. Step 1

   To make the puffed rice, heat the vegetable oil until it is very hot - about 190°C

2. Step 2

   Set up some kitchen towel on a plate or tray for draining the rice

3. Step 3

   Very, very carefully, and with a mesh strainer at the ready, add half the wild rice. It should puff up straight away - immediately remove it and transfer to the kitchen towel

4. Step 4

   Repeat with the remaining rice, and season with salt. Set to one side

5. Step 5

   Heat a large pan and add the butter. When it is foaming, add the cauliflower and cook for 4-5 mins until it starts to soften

6. Step 6

   Add the milk and cream and bring to a simmer. Season with salt

7. Step 7

   Simmer for a few more minutes until the cauliflower is completely cooked

8. Step 8

   Remove from the heat and add the Gruyère cheese. Whisk until smooth, and all the cheese has melted

9. Step 9

   Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth

10. Step 10

    Pass the cauliflower cheese sauce through a fine sieve and check for seasoning

11. Step 11

    Whilst still warm, pour the sauce into a whipping siphon - there should be about 1 litre

12. Step 12

    Screw on the lid and charge with two gas cartridges

13. Step 13

    Shake well and keep warm (for example in a warm water bath)

14. Step 14

    Add the vegetable oil to a large pan and heat up over a medium-high heat. Add the artichokes and shallots and cook, stirring, for 15-20 minutes or until soft and golden brown

15. Step 15

    Season with salt, and add 50g of the butter and the thyme. Cook for 5 more minutes, or until quite dark and tender

16. Step 16

    Add cream to the pan and bring to the boil. Season again with salt to taste, and then remove the thyme sprigs. Transfer to a blender

17. Step 17

    While blending, drop in pieces of the 25g of diced butter bit by bit to emulsify it

18. Step 18

    Adjust the thickness of the sauce with water, and season again as needed

19. Step 19

    Pass through a fine sieve, and then transfer to a piping bag

20. Step 20

    Pipe a small amount of the artichoke puree into warm servings bowls - about one dessert spoonful per bowl

21. Step 21

    Shake the siphon gun really well for 2 minutes. Squirt out a nice dome of the warm mousse into the bowl over the artichoke puree, and up to the rim of the bowl

22. Step 22

    Sprinkle over the chopped chives, and some of the puffed rice

23. Step 23

    Grate over the smoked almonds with a fine microplane. Serve immediately