"This salad utilises many of the rarer herbs and flowers that June Henman and I have researched over the years. Combined with shaved celery heart, barrel-aged feta, Sicilian capers and olive sourdough crumbs, this dish is a light and aromatic way to start a meal. It embodies simplicity, complexity and the beauty of nature," shares award winning chef Peter Gilmore. Serves 8 INGREDIENTS Frozen Aged Feta Shards500 G (1 LB 2 OZ) traditionally aged Greek feta1 Litre liquid nitrogen Olive sourdough crumbs100 g (31/2 oz) pitted Ligurian olives250 ml (9 fl oz) olive oil2 slices sourdough bread, 2 cm (3/4 inch) thick, crusts removed Lemon crème fraîche50 g (1¾ oz) crème fraîche1 teaspoon lemon juice Lemon juice vinaigrette1/2 eschallot, finely dicedpinch sea salt2 teaspoons lemon juice1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil To FINISH64 pea flowers32 ice plant buds64 small nasturtium leaves64 small buckler-leaf sorrel sprigs32 salad burnet sprigs40 tiny celery flower sprigs80 white edible Linaria flowers40 curly cress sprigs16 small sweet cicely sprigs2 tablespoons tiny Sicilian capers in oil2 celery hearts, well trimmed METHOD Frozen Aged Feta Shards1 Place the block of aged feta in the freezer for 2 hours or until firm enough to shave. Wearing appropriate protective eyewear and gloves, pour the liquid nitrogen into an insulated bowl or a small styrofoam container (see glossary for more safety information).2 Remove the frozen feta and use a Japanese mandolin to shave 4-5 slices, as thinly as possible, into the bowl of liquid nitrogen. Allow the liquid nitrogen to further freeze the cheese for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon, put in an airtight container and store in the freezer. Repeat until all the feta has been used. Olive sourdough crumbs 1 Put the pitted olives and 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) of olive oil in the bowl of a small food processor and blend well. Pour the paste onto a small tray and soak the sourdough slices, pressing down into the mixture on both sides of the bread to soak up all the oil.2 Dehydrate the oil-soaked bread in an 80°C (175°F/Gas 1/4-1/2) oven or dehydrator for approximately 6 hours or until the bread is dry and crisp. When dry, crumble the bread into rough 5 mm (1/4 inch) pieces. Heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the crumbs until crisp. Drain well, cool and store in an airtight container until required. Lemon crème fraîche1 Combine the crème fraîche and lemon juice well, cover and refrigerate until required. Lemon juice vinaigrette1 Mix the eschallot, salt and lemon juice. Allow the eschallot to soften for about 5 minutes. Add the mustard and mix well. Whisk in the olive oil until well incorporated and set aside until required. To FINISH1 Separate the pea flower petals and discard the stems. Wash all herbs and flowers in cold water and allow to dry in a single layer on a clean tea towel (dish towel). Drain the capers well.2 Use a Japanese mandolin to finely shave the celery hearts into a large bowl. Immediately dress the shaved celery hearts with the lemon vinaigrette. To PLATEPlace a teaspoon of the lemon crème fraîche in the centre of each serving plate and gently spread out with the back of the spoon. Place a small handful of the dressed, shaved celery heart on top of the crème fraîche. Place 8-10 olive crumbs on each pile of celery with 8-10 capers. Add a couple of slices of the shaved frozen feta on top with a small pinch of the combined herbs and flowers. Add another small handful of the celery heart, more frozen feta and a handful of herbs and flowers. Serve. The Carousel thanks Organum by Peter Gilmore (Murdoch Books) for this recipe and image. Available to purchase now.
