INVERTED FROMAGE BLANC TART fennel, wheatgrass

Ingredients

• As neededFennel scraps
• As neededPure olive oil
• 225 gFennel scraps
• 375 gWater
• 250 gFennel stock, strained
• 2 gAgar
• 50 gCooked fennel
• To tasteDried fennel pollen
• To tasteChampagne vinegar
• To tasteSalt
• 100 gDried, finely ground pain de mie
• 100 gFinely ground buckwheat
• 100 gFinely ground isomalt
• 3 gFinely ground salt
• 150 gWheatgrass juice
• 30 gPure olive oil
• To tasteXanthan
• 48 piecesRaw fennel, diced
• 48 piecesCooked fennel, diced
• 200 gCow’s or sheep’s milk fromage blanc
• 10 piecesChervil

Instructions

1. 1

   Dice the fennel

   Cut the fennel into neat ½-inch cubes (the source also gives 0.7 mm). Cook half in salted water until tender, then drain and cool on a plate.

2. 2

   Save the scraps

   Keep the remaining fennel raw. Set aside the scraps produced while cutting the fennel; use them to make the stock and burnt fennel oil.

3. 3

   Make burnt oil

   Roast the fennel scraps at 200°C (400°F) until half-burnt. Dehydrate them at 60°C (140°F), then blend with pure olive oil until smooth and black.

4. 4

   Prepare fennel gel

   Simmer the 225 g fennel scraps with 375 g water until the stock tastes sweet and concentrated. Strain and measure 250 g of stock, then boil it with the agar and reserved 50 g cooked fennel. Cool until set, blend until smooth and season with dried fennel pollen, champagne vinegar and salt.

5. 5

   Season the fromage

   Drain the fromage blanc until it has the consistency of a thick purée, then season with salt. Transfer it to a siphon and charge it twice.

6. 6

   Bake the crisp

   Combine the pain de mie, buckwheat, isomalt and 3 g salt. Shake the mixture through a fine strainer onto a Silpat in an even layer. Bake in a Combi oven at 170°C (340°F), on medium fan, for about 8 minutes, rotating the tray after 4 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn the Silpat onto parchment on the counter and peel it away. Break the crisp into pieces and keep in a tightly covered container.

7. 7

   Blend the sauce

   Blend the wheatgrass juice with the 30 g olive oil and xanthan to make a smooth sauce. The juice should be very fresh, juiced within a few hours.

8. 8

   Dress the fennel

   Toss the raw and cooked fennel pieces with enough fennel gel to coat and season them. Taste and add champagne vinegar or salt if needed. Arrange 6 raw and 6 cooked pieces in the centre of each plate with a little gel. Shake the burnt fennel oil, then dot each corner of the plate. Drizzle the wheatgrass sauce around the fennel, dispense fromage blanc from the siphon over it and top the cheese with a buckwheat crisp.

9. 9

   Add chervil

   Finish each plate with a piece of chervil.

What is an inverted fromage blanc tart?

Despite the name, this is a plated savoury composition rather than a conventional baked tart: it has no pastry base, and a buckwheat crisp sits on top of the cheese. The recipe is credited to Daniel Patterson of COI and uses fennel in several forms, from raw cubes to a concentrated gel and dark oil.

The contrast makes the dish work: crisp and tender fennel meet airy fromage blanc, a sharp herbal sauce and a toasted grain wafer.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 220 calories, 7g protein, 30g carbs, 10g fat.

The buckwheat crisp and isomalt provide much of the carbohydrate, while olive oil carries most of the fat. Fromage blanc contributes protein and additional fat; fennel adds some carbohydrate and fibre. For a more balanced plate, serve a measured portion alongside a protein-rich main and an extra serving of vegetables.

Use the fennel from root to scrap

Cut evenly: Neat fennel cubes make the raw and cooked portions look consistent on the plate. The recipe specifies ½-inch cubes, though its accompanying millimetre conversion is inconsistent.

Keep the scraps: The trimmings provide the base for both the stock and the burnt oil, so set them aside as you trim rather than discarding them.

Build the fennel gel

Measure the stock: The gel uses 250 g strained fennel stock, 2 g agar and 50 g cooked fennel. Strain the stock before weighing it so the gel has a smooth base.

Blend after setting: Let the mixture cool until solid before blending. This gives the finished gel its smooth, spoonable texture; season it with pollen, vinegar and salt.

Keep the crisp thin

Even layer: Shake the crisp mixture through a fine strainer over the Silpat so it bakes as a thin sheet rather than a thick slab.

Watch the colour: Bake at 170°C for about 8 minutes, turning the tray at 4 minutes. Remove it when lightly browned, then peel away the mat after turning it onto parchment.

Balance the fennel textures

Raw fennel: Keep half of the diced pieces uncooked for a fresh, firm bite. Coat them lightly with the gel just before plating.

Cooked fennel: Boil the other half in salted water only until tender, then drain and cool. Toss it with the raw pieces at the end so both textures remain distinct.

Finish each plate in layers

Sauces first: Arrange the fennel and gel, then add the burnt oil and wheatgrass sauce around it. Shake the oil bottle before using it, as the method directs.

Top last: Dispense the fromage blanc over the fennel and add the crisp and chervil just before serving. This keeps the crisp from softening while the plates wait.

What to serve alongside

The recipe is designed as a composed course, so it can be served on its own as a starter or as part of a larger meal. Its sharp vinegar and fresh wheatgrass sauce suit simple accompaniments rather than another heavily dressed dish.

For a more substantial meal, serve it before a main course with potatoes, grains or bread; those are accompaniments rather than components of the recipe itself.

Recipe notes & tips

• Save fennel trimmings as you cut the cubes so there is enough scrap for the stock and oil.
• Drain the fromage blanc until it holds a thick purée consistency before putting it in the siphon.
• Make the wheatgrass sauce with juice that has been extracted within a few hours.
• Rotate the crisp at the 4-minute mark and check for light browning as it finishes.
• Dress the fennel with only enough gel to coat the pieces.
• Add the crisp immediately before serving to help it stay crunchy.

Variations

• Adjust the vinegar: Add it a little at a time to bring out the fennel’s freshness.
• Change the herb: Use a small piece of another delicate fresh herb in place of chervil.
• Serve without a siphon: Spoon or pipe the thick fromage blanc onto the fennel if you do not have a siphon.
• Make the crisp ahead: Bake and store it in a tightly covered container until needed.
• Vary the cheese: Choose either cow’s milk or sheep’s milk fromage blanc, as the recipe allows.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Uneven cubes: Cut the fennel to a consistent size so the cooked pieces become tender at a similar rate.
• Overcooked fennel: Stop cooking once the pieces are tender, then drain and cool them promptly.
• Unmeasured stock: Strain and weigh 250 g for the gel rather than estimating the amount.
• Thick crisp layer: Sift the mixture into a thin, even layer so it bakes through in the stated time.
• Soft crisp: Keep the baked pieces covered and add them to the plate at the last moment.
• Heavy dressing: Use just enough gel to coat the fennel so the cubes keep their individual texture.

How to store

Keep the baked buckwheat crisp in a tightly covered container as directed. The recipe does not give storage times for the other preparations; refrigerate them promptly in covered containers and use them soon, especially the fresh wheatgrass sauce. Assemble the plates just before serving, as the crisp will soften against the sauces and cheese.

Frequently asked questions