Passionfruit and mango cleanser

A delightful palate cleanser recipe by La Colombe's executive chef, James Gaag

By Gugulethu Mkhabela | October 12, 2018 | Category

The internationally acclaimed  La  Colombe, won the Best Tasting Menu award at the 2017 Condè Nast House & Garden Gourmet Awards. The iconic restaurant recently underwent a major revamp and boasts a fresh and chic new look. Renowned chef James Gaag, who's taken over as executive chef, shared how delighted he was to finally realise his dream of running La Colombe. 'My team and I are excited about this new and exciting chapter. We’ll be keeping some signature dishes on the menu and I can’t wait to introduce everyone to the new dishes. I believe food should be delicious and inviting, and not overthought, overworked or overcomplicated,' he said.

Try out chef James Gaag’s amazing passionfruit and mango cleanser recipe below:

Passionfruit and mango cleanser

Cocktail

2 sticks lemongrass

12g ginger

90g mango puree

300g orange juice

150g sake

60g palm sugar

20ml strained passion fruit

Method

Flambẻ sake until it doesn’t ignite

BEAT lemongrass with rolling pin

Chop lemongrass and peeled ginger

Add to sake with palm sugar, and simmer until reduced by half

Remove from heat the add orange juice, mango puree and passionfruit and leave overnight to infuse

Strain and use for service

Tequila foam

180g tequila

120g triple sec

90g lemon juice

300g sugar syrup (150g water 150g sugar)

Salt

Soya lecithin

Method

Dissolve sugar in water for simple syrup

Add triple sec, tequila, lemon juice and salt, heat through soya

Stick

Blend in the soya lecithin until a stable foam forms

To Serve

Cut the tops of some passion fruits and scoop out the seeds and flesh. Freeze them overnight and use the serving vessel for the cocktail.

Buzz up the foam with a hand-held stick blender and scoop over the top of the cocktail.

Images: Andrea van der Spuy