Squash and Orange Parfait
As seen on TV
Which Show?
Who made this dish?
Vince: 'Up first I'm making the cashew lime sauce. I'm gonna add the cashew, add the veg broth, and I'm gonna leave that to sit for about half an hour and then I'll blend it.'
Vince: 'squash and orange parfait... Have some sourdough croutons on there. I'm making an aji amarillo [chilli]... and pumpkin seed brittle. I'm gonna pickle some carrots in an orange vinaigrette. I've got a preserved orange rind as well. And I'm making a cashew lime style sauce.'
A vegan parfait built from butternut squash cooked down with shallot, orange zest, vegetable stock and vegan cream, blended smooth, set and defrosted to serving texture. The plate is dressed with sliced pickled radish, pickled baby carrots in orange vinaigrette, a brittle of pumpkin seeds with Sichuan pepper and aji amarillo, preserved orange rind, small sourdough croutons, a cashew-and-lime cream sauce split with a Peruvian marigold (tagetes) oil, and a lemon verbena cress garnish.
Episode tasting (Aktar Islam, veteran): said the parfait needed to be more set as it was closer to a puree. He loved the cashew-lime cream, wanted more brittle on the plate, and said the dish really needed more bread.
On tasting the brittle Aktar was also concerned it was sweet and that with a sweet squash this might tip the whole plate into dessert territory; he wanted it to read as savoury. Score: 6.
Peer chefs echoed the texture concerns: Abbie said it was texturally lacking and felt the same in the mouth; Dana said the sauce and squash had very similar texture so it felt like eating a puree; Josh said the croutons would be better as a piece of toast. Vince did not progress to the finals day, so no further judge commentary exists for this starter.
