Sweet Potato and Artichoke - Non-alcoholic Rosé Tonic
Recipe, Food-Styling, Photo & Styling:Oliver Schwarzwald
Aromatic Floral Delight
There are different approaches to food pairing. For example, food and drinks harmonise with each other if they have at least one aroma in common. And it is precisely this aroma pairing that we make use of as follows.The main ingredient for this pairing is an uncomplicated sweet potato puree. The cooked sweet potato releases a distinct violet aroma. This can be read and illustrated in the very good book "The Art of Food Pairing". So far I have been able to perceive the floral aroma, but I needed some help to name it precisely. And indeed, a drink with a hint of violet goes very well with the cooked sweet potato. In our case, I opted for a non-alcoholic rosé tonic with mentioned dash of violet syrup. When it comes to non-alcoholic wines, my experience is that nothing really can go wrong with a 0.0% rosé. That's easy to understand, after all, we're right in the middle here in terms of flavours. The white non-alcoholic wines are often very acidic or have too much ferment in the scent for me. Non-alcoholic red wines still lack depth, although the quality is also steadily improving. A rosé is often well balanced and can also be mixed excellently with tonic. Acidity and bitterness complement each other well, while the syrup used sets the aromatic direction. Many things are possible with this composition. A rosé tonic is often served with mint and a little cucumber. This goes very well with hummus, for example.
The sweet potato puree may seem simple at first glance, but the addition of star anise, cayenne pepper and some lime makes it by no means one-dimensional. Nevertheless, something is still missing to serve a balanced starter. That's why we supplement the puree with pickled artichokes and some smoked salmon. The former brings woody notes and the salmon complements the salty and smoky notes. Depending on the quality of the artichokes, we recommend seasoning them with a little vinegar and lemon, salt and pepper. The dish definitely needs a good dash of acidity. Not least for the fish. A small and quick starter. Which can be served either on a plate or just with a fork or spoon. Accompanied by a simple but surprising drink, the ingredients of which are all available in the supermarket. The unexpected violet flavour is the twist.
Cheers Sober Buddies
Recipe, Food-Styling, Photo & Styling:Oliver Schwarzwald
Recipe: Sweet potato puree with artichoke and salmon
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
400 g fresh sweet potatoes
½ tsp salt (for the cooking water)
1 star anise (whole)
1 piece of fresh ginger (approx. the size of a hazelnut, coarsely diced)
Juice of half a lime
½ pinch cayenne pepper
½ pinch sea salt
50 g butter
4 Pickled artichokes. From the fresh counter or from a jar.
100g smoked salmon
2 tsp lime zest
Instructions:
1. Put a pot of water on to boil and add salt.
2. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes.
3. When the water boils, add the sweet potato pieces and bring to the boil briefly. Reduce the heat.
4. Add star anise and ginger in a disposable tea filter or tea ball.
5. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft but still firm to the bite. Drain the potatoes and leave to steam.
6. Add butter and lime juice.
7 .Mash the sweet potatoes.
8. Season the mash with cayenne pepper and a pinch of sea salt.
9. Serve the mashed sweet potatoes with half artichokes and smoked salmon.
10. Grate some lime zest over the top.
Photo & Styling: Oliver Schwarzwald
The drink:
7 cl Rosé non-alcoholic (e.g. Kolonne Null).
1 cl freshly squeezed lime juice
1.5 - 2 cl violet syrup
Fever-Tree Edelflower Tonic
Ice
Garnish: slice of lime
Instructions:
Fill a glass with ice cubes.
Pour 7 cl rosé non-alcoholic glass
Add 1 cl freshly squeezed lime juice to give a refreshing acidic note.
Add 1.5 - 2 cl violet syrup to give the drink a floral aroma. The amount of syrup can be adjusted according to personal taste, depending on the desired sweetness.
Stir gently to mix the ingredients. Add more ice if needed.
Fill the glass with Fever-Tree Edelflower Tonic.
Garnish with a slice of lime, a violet blossom or a sprig of mint as desired.
Serve the non-alcoholic rosé with lime and violet syrup immediately and enjoy!
Photo & Styling: Oliver Schwarzwald