Gazpacho by Chef Aiden Byrne _320
INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)
2 kg fresh beetroot, plus 2 large golden beetroot,
1 vanilla pod,
50ml olive oil,
300ml fresh apple juice,
500ml beetroot juice,
125ml sherry vinegar,
juice of 2 lemons,
2 whole avocados,
100g caster sugar,
juice and rind of 2 limes,
juice of 1 lemon,
2 leaves gelatine, softened,
200 ml Belvedere vodka,
salt
fresh coriander to garnish
METHOD
1. Wrap half the beetroot and the golden beetroot in foil, place on a tray lined with rock salt and cook at 160°C/310°F/ for 1–1½ hours. Peel the golden beetroot and cut four 1.5cm diameter pieces. Peel and cut four small pieces of the other cooked beetroot, and chop the rest. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and mix with the olive oil. Store the beetroot fondants in this oil.
2. Peel and chop remaining raw beetroot into small pieces and place them in a blender with the cooked beetroot, the apple juice and the beetroot juice. Blend until smooth and press out the juice. Put the liquid in a bowl over iced water.
3. Season the soup with salt, gradually. Add the sherry vinegar then some sugar. Pass again through a fine sieve and refrigerate.
4. Peel the avocados and use the same cutter to cut four shapes out. Coat in lemon juice and set aside. Add the sugar to 100 ml water and bring to boil. Blend the rest of the avocado in the blender and add the syrup. Pass through a fine sieve and add the lime juice and rind and the lemon juice. Transfer to an ice cream machine and churn until frozen.
5. Heat a couple of tablespoons of water in a small saucepan, add the gelatine and small amount of the vodka and leave gelatine to dissolve slowly. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining vodka. Pass the jelly through a sieve into a small container and set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
6. Pour soup into four chilled bowls. Add the fondants, spoon in some vodka jelly and avocado sorbet, and garnish with a few coriander leaves.