Melon, chilli and kohlrabi by Matthias Marc

This melon-based recipe is by Matthias Marc, chef at Substance restaurant in Paris. It is taken from his book "In Situ" but reworked for Gault&Millau.

Ingredients for Matthias Marc's melon, chilli and kohlrabi dish

8 melons
4 bunches verbena
20g Espelette pepper
2 pieces kohlrabi
1 tub marigold flower
10 cl white vinegar
10 cl water
10 cl crème fraîche

Steps for Matthias Marc's melon, pepper and kohlrabi dish

Peel 2 melons and remove cylinders using a 2 cm-diameter tube.
Cut the melon and kohlrabi cylinders into slices of equal thickness. Set melon slices aside.
Peel a kohlrabi and cut out cylinders using the same cookie cutter.
Heat the sugar, water and vinegar in a saucepan, then pour into a bowl. Infuse the kohlrabi slices.
Peel the other kohlrabi and cut into cubes.
Peel the remaining 6 melons, then centrifuge them, along with the remaining seeds from the first two melons. Strain through a sieve.
Add a bunch of vervain (leaves only) and the Espelette chili pepper, centrifuge again and leave the melon stock to infuse for an hour in a cool place.
In a saucepan, heat a few spoonfuls of olive oil and lightly roast and salt the kohlrabi cubes.
Remove the leaves from the remaining three bunches of verbena and centrifuge with a little olive oil. Strain through a sieve and chill.
Juice the kohlrabi cubes, adding the crème fraîche. Set this purée aside.

Presentation

Line the bottom of a plate with the celery purée. Arrange the melon and kohlrabi slices alternately on top of the purée. Add the marigold flowers.
Pour in the melon broth, then drizzle with verbena oil.
Serve immediately.

For further information

Substance,18 rue Chaillot, Paris 16
16/20, 3 toques
Read Gault&Millau's review of Substance

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