Ember-Roasted Vegetable Paris Brest

Spicy Sorghum, Campfire Cream, and Benne Craquelin

Chef Opie Crooks of No Goodbyes at The LINE DC | Washington, D.C.

Adapted by StarChefs | March 2022

INGREDIENTS:

Benne Craquelin:
(Yield: 10 rings)

230 grams butter
200 grams sugar
230 grams all-purpose flour
5 grams onion powder
5 grams garlic powder
2 grams paprika
6 grams salt
3 grams freshly ground black pepper
80 grams benne seeds

Pâte à Choux:
(Yield: 10 rings)

150 grams butter
6 grams salt
6 grams sugar
26 grams nonfat dry milk powder
88 grams all-purpose flour
88 grams bread flour
276 grams egg
Egg wash

Spicy Sorghum:
(Yield: 1 ½ quarts)

65 grams benne seeds
950 grams sorghum syrup
65 grams chile-garlic crisp
200 grams hot sauce

Campfire Cream:
(Yield: 2 ½ quarts)

950 grams heavy cream
10 grams salt
1 small wood log, burnt

Seasonal Vegetables:
(Yield: 1 serving)

Olive oil
Petit herbs
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled and smashed
Coarse salt
Mix of seasonal vegetables, such as North Carolina sweetpotatoes, Hirosaki turnips, Hakurei turnips, mushrooms, and beets

To Assemble and Serve:
(Yield: 1 serving)

Benne seeds
Fennel pollen
Chives
Petite herbs and leaves
Mixed winter radishes, shaved

METHOD:

For the Benne Craquelin:
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour, spices, salt, pepper, and benne seeds and mix 2 minutes. Divide dough into two portions. Between 2 sheets of parchment, roll out each portion until 2-millimeters thick. Freeze. 

For the Pâte à Choux:
In a medium-sized pot, bring butter and 320 grams water to a boil. In a large bowl, whisk together salt, sugar, milk powder, and flours. Whisk dry ingredients into boiling water and butter until incorporated. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly with a spatula. Pour mixture into a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. On medium speed, mix 5 minutes or until mixture has cooled to room temperature. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition, then mixing until fully incorporated. Mix an additional 2 minutes. Transfer choux dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star piping tip. Onto a baking sheet, pipe 4-inch rings of choux. Freeze.

Heat oven to 475°F. Using a round cutter, cut Benne Craquelin rings to the same size as piped choux. Place frozen choux rings onto a sheet tray with at least 2-inches of space. Brush choux with egg wash, then top with Benne Craquelin rings. Place the sheet tray in the oven then immediately turn the oven off. Leave the choux in the oven for 30 min then increase the oven temperature to 300°F. Bake 8 minutes. Rotate sheet tray if needed, then bake until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

For the Spicy Sorghum:
In a pan over medium-high heat, toast benne seeds until golden brown. In a nonreactive container, stir to combine syrup, chile crisp, hot sauce, and toasted benne seeds. Reserve.

For the Campfire Cream:
In a stainless steel bain marie, combine cream and salt. Add wood log. Refrigerate and let steep 1 hour. Strain through a chinois into a chilled mixing bowl. Whip until stiff and set aside.

For the Seasonal Vegetables:
In a wide, heavy-bottom pan, heat just enough water to cover the vegetables by about two-thirds. Add olive oil, herbs, garlic and a big pinch of salt. Add vegetables to the pan then bring water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook vegetables until al dente. Strain then cool vegetables on a sheet tray at room temperature. Reserve.

To Assemble and Serve:
Build a wood fire in the grill and let the wood cook down to embers. Place a mesh basket over the burned-down coals and add the Seasonal Vegetables. Cook Seasonal Vegetables until charred. Remove from basket and toss with Spicy Sorghum, benne seeds, fennel pollen, and chives. Set aside. Slice Pâte à Choux in half lengthwise and place bottom half on a serving plate.Top with Campfire Cream, Seasonal Vegetable mix, shaved radishes, and herbs and finish with top half of the Pâte à Choux.

---