Maïs version 1: cream, silk, burdock

Ingredients for the corn cream

220 g canned sweet corn

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

salt, to taste

caster (superfine) sugar, to taste

1 gelatine sheet, bloomed

50 ml cream, whipped to firm peaks

Ingredients for the silks

5 baby corn, silk and husks still attached

Ingredients for the burdock

1 burdock root

500 ml sunflower oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients for the sesame salt

50 g black sesame seeds

10 g fleur de sel

Method

To make the corn cream, put the canned corn into a Vitamix and blend to a purée.

Push through a chinois and measure out 180 g.

Put into a pan with the vanilla seeds and salt and sugar, to taste.

Set over a medium heat until it starts to simmer then remove from the heat.

Stir in the bloomed gelatine and let cool.

Fold through the whipped cream.

Cut the husks from the corn neatly and discard or reserve for another use.

Cut the baby corn into halves lengthwise and carefully remove the cores, leaving a shell of kernels. 

Remove all the silk from the cobs, wrap it in a damp tea towel and refrigerate until required.

Peel the burdock root neatly. With the same peeler, slice the root into very thin strips and transfer to a bowl of water to stop it oxidising.

Heat the oil to 160°C/325°F. Dry the burdock strips completely then deep-fry in batches until golden brown. Pat dry on paper towels then season to taste.

For the sesame salt, toast the sesame seeds in a non-stick pan for 1 minute. Tip into a Vitamix and blend with the salt.

To serve, divide the reserved silks between the plates, arranging them naturally. Place a spoonful of corn cream on each plate, add a piece of baby corn and burdock root and garnish with sesame salt.