A Michelin-level spinach side dish featuring ember-wilted spinach glazed in black garlic beurre monté, served over silky Comté velouté with brown butter brioche crumble, herb oil, and delicate smoke.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs – baby spinach (washed and stemmed)
• 2 tbsp – cultured butter
• to taste – Maldon sea salt
• to taste – white pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 tsp – lemon ash (dehydrated lemon zest powdered)
• 150g – unsalted European butter (for beurre monté)
• 4 cloves – black garlic
• 2 tbsp – spinach stock
• 1 tsp – sherry vinegar
• 1 cup – heavy cream
• 1 cup – whole milk
• 120g – aged Comté cheese (finely grated)
• 1 – shallot (thinly sliced)
• 1 – bay leaf
• pinch – nutmeg
• 2 slices – brioche (thick-cut)
• 4 tbsp – brown butter
• 1 – shallot (thinly sliced for ash)
• 1 cup – parsley
• 1/2 cup – chives
• 1/2 cup – grapeseed oil
• as needed – micro sorrel (for garnish)
• as needed – brown butter pearls (optional garnish)

Speciality Items:

• Japanese Konro Grill Need it? Click here to start cooking
• Binchotan Charcoal Need it? Click here to start cooking
• Smoking Gun Need it? Click here to start cooking
• Fine Mesh Tamis Need it? Click here to start cooking
• Vacuum Chamber Sealer Need it? Click here to start cooking
• Infrared Thermometer Need it? Click here to start cooking

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Steps:

1. Prepare herb oil by blanching parsley and chives for 15 seconds, shocking in ice water, blending with grapeseed oil, and straining overnight.
2. Make the brioche crumble by tossing torn brioche with brown butter and sea salt, then baking at 325°F until golden.
3. Dehydrate sliced shallots until crisp and blend half into ash powder. Fold into the crumble.
4. Prepare the Comté velouté by sweating shallots gently in butter, then adding milk, cream, and bay leaf. Simmer 15 minutes.
5. Remove bay leaf and blend in grated Comté until smooth. Pass through a tamis or chinois.
6. Prepare black garlic beurre monté by warming butter to 160°F and blending with black garlic, spinach stock, and sherry vinegar.
7. Heat the Konro grill with Binchotan charcoal until evenly glowing.
8. Lightly smoke spinach over the Konro using a perforated grill basket.
9. Transfer spinach to a sauté pan with cultured butter and wilt rapidly over high heat for 20–30 seconds.
10. Season spinach with Maldon salt and white pepper, then fold in black garlic beurre monté.
11. Place spinach under a cloche and infuse with applewood smoke using a smoking gun for 45 seconds.
12. Plate by spooning Comté velouté onto the plate, twisting spinach into a nest, and finishing with brioche crumble, herb oil, lemon ash, micro sorrel, and brown butter pearls.

Nuggget Nuggget: One Ask. One Tap. Done

Nuggget Nuggget: One Ask. One Tap. Done