Japanese-inspired designer food

PHOTOS: Dirk Pieters | PRODUCTION and Recipes: Abigail Donnelly | Food Assistant: Hannes Koegelenberg

This season’s designer food is going green with a refreshing dash of Japanese-inspired minimalism.

Double cucumber and edamame soya bean salad

2 cucumbers

2 spring onions, sliced lengthways

200g edamame soya beans

15ml nagatanien (Japanese seasoning available at Asian supermarkets)

Green dressing

30g Italian parsley

30ml avocado oil

juice of 1 lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Use a mandolin to shave 1 cucumber, creating long strands. Peel the other cucumber, slice it into thick rounds and use a small, round cookie cutter to cut out the centre of each round. To serve, twirl the cucumber strands into a ball. Scatter with the cucumber rounds, onions and beans. Sprinkle the nagatanien over the salad. Blend the dressing ingredients and drizzle over the salad.

SERVES 4

Frozen crayfish and kiwi dim sum

2 crayfish tails

3 kiwi fruit

juice of 1 lime

45ml wasabi caviar (available at delis)

Remove the crayfish from the shell and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut the crayfish into thin slices. Cut the kiwi in half and use a melon baller to scoop out balls. Wrap a few slices of crayfish around the fruit. Drizzle with lime juice and add a spoonful of wasabi caviar. Tip: Roll crayfish feelers in wasabi caviar and use to garnish.

SERVES 4

Green-tea and tofu butterflies

300g tofu

30ml matcha (green-tea powder)

2 gelatine leaves

500ml prepared green tea

sugar

Blend the tofu and matcha until smooth and creamy. Soften the gelatine in cold water, squeeze out the excess water and dissolve the gelatine in prepared hot green tea. Add the sugar and whip the green-tea mixture into the tofu mixture. Pour into a flat dish and chill until set. Cut out butterflies using a cookie cutter. Tip: Cut-out tamarillo leaves were used here for decorative purposes, but mulberry leaves, or any citrus leaves, will also work.

SERVES 4

Iced lettuce and creamed truffle

4 cos lettuces, halved

15ml Maldon sea salt

edible gold dust

100g foie gras

100ml whipped cream

Place the lettuce halves in the freezer until frozen. Toss the salt carefully in the gold dust. Whisk the foie gras until creamy. Fold in the cream. To serve, place a lettuce half on a plate, sprinkle with the salt and gold dust, and pipe or spoon the truffle cream over.

SERVES 2