Almond Cottage Cheese, Wild Honey and Virgin Olive Oil

L´Escaleta
Chef: Kiko Moya
Country: Subida estación del norte, 205
City: 03824 Cocentaina (Alicante).
Address:
(+34) 965592100.

Kiko Moya’s cuisine is about to make a new qualitative leap forward. To do so, the chef just needs to define a culinary personality –he is doing well, because his constructions have already their own stamp and differ from the rest for not drawing their inspiration from the concepts and techniques that are in the limelight. The day his proposals set trends, they will gain even more in value, because they really brim with nobility, erudition, originality and good taste, both palatal and aesthetic.
The following creation is a good example of the actual situation of the chef’s practice. A minimalist, ingenious and peaceful creation which formally and gustatively reinvents historic flavours that are deeply rooted in Mediterranean culture. The dish is a creamy ball of cow cottage cheese exuberantly perfumed with fresh almond, pertinently melting and peculiar, that is lain onto a pool of extra virgin olive oil and enhanced with contrasts of fresh almond slices, honey hints, together with thyme and lavender flowers.



The Recipe



 

                                                        
INGREDIENTS: 
            Virgin olive oil
            Lavender and thyme flowers
            Entire fresh almonds
             
For the mead: 15g/portion
            100 g honey
            100 g water
             0.6 g Xantana
 
For the almond cottage cheese: 40g/portion 
            1000 g raw Marcona almonds
2000 g milk
            6 bitter almonds
            5 leaves gelatin
            8 drops rennet
 
Method:
             For the cottage cheese:
            Crush the almonds together with the milk and let stand in the fridge for 24 hours. Blend the mixture until obtaining almond milk. Boil, remove from the heat, add the hydrated gelatin and then the drops of rennet. Wrap small packets into cling film. Cool down and let stand.
            For the mead:
            Mix the Xantana with the honey and dilute in the water.
 
 
Finishing:
             Put the mead on the bottom of the dish, cover with the olive oil and crown with cheese, flowers and fresh almonds.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:
Virgin olive oil
Lavender and thyme flowers
Entire fresh almonds

For the mead: 15g/portion
100 g honey
100 g water
0.6 g Xantana

For the almond cottage cheese: 40g/portion
1000 g raw Marcona almonds
2000 g milk
6 bitter almonds
5 leaves gelatin
8 drops rennet

Method:
For the cottage cheese:
Crush the almonds together with the milk and let stand in the fridge for 24 hours. Blend the mixture until obtaining almond milk. Boil, remove from the heat, add the hydrated gelatin and then the drops of rennet. Wrap small packets into cling film. Cool down and let stand.
For the mead:
Mix the Xantana with the honey and dilute in the water.

Finishing:
Put the mead on the bottom of the dish, cover with the olive oil and crown with cheese, flowers and fresh almonds.