Recipe: Pea and Avocado Mousse

Pea and Avocado Mousse with Minted Aqua Faba Foam, Seeded Filo Tuille, and Vertegrow Micro Cresses

By Baz Nichols, Culinary Consultant for Vertegrow, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire 

Ingredients for the Mousse (serves around 8 depending on size of glass)

  • 1 cup peas
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1/3 cup rice milk (or full fat milk if not vegan)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon grass (or lemon juice) 
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 1/2 juiced lime
  • 1 teaspoon agar agar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

  • Bring the peas to the boil with 1 cup water and the lemon grass / lemon juice
  • Remove from the heat, drain the water through a sieve, and cool the peas
  • Bring to a boil the agar agar with 1 cup water and the rice milk, until completely dissolved.
  • Add all of the other ingredients into a blender and blitz until nice and smooth, for about 1 minute. Pass through a fine sieve to remove pea shells. 
  • Pour into shot glasses and place in the fridge  for around 1 hour to set.

For the Seeded Filo Tuille

1 Sheet Filo Pastry

 1/2 teaspoon each of poppy seeds, black sesame seeds, linseeds, pinch of salt, pinch of black pepper

Cut the filo pastry into 1.5 cm wide strips , brush with olive oil, then sprinkle with the seed and seasoning mix. Place onto a silicone mat, or baking parchment, bake in the oven at 150 c for around 6 – 8 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool until required. These tuilles can be made in advance and left in an airtight container.

Ingredients for the Minted Aqua Faba

Drain one can of chick peas, and place the liquid into a food mixing bowl.( Reserve the chick peas for another dish and refrigerate) . For best results it is worth whipping at least 1/4 can of liquid. 

Finely chop 3-4 small leaves of mint and add to the liquid. Add a small pinch of Blackthorn Salt (or salt of your choice) . 

Whisk on high speed until a thick foam forms (around 6-8 mins) . Serve immediately onto the chilled Pea & Avocado Mousse mixture. If you wish to stabilise the foam for longer usage, add a small amount of Cream of Tartar to stabilise. 

When making this from scratch, be careful not to introduce any oil or fats into the liquid. These can cause problems if you plan to whip the liquid later on.

Assembly

Pipe the mousse mixture into small shot glasses, wine glasses or small glasses of your choice, as per step one. 

Place a seeded tuille to one side into the mousse mixture. 

Add a couple of teaspoons of the Minted Aqua Faba Foam. 

Garnish with Vertegrow Pea Cress, Vertgrow Micro Mint Sprigs, Vertegrow Micro Chard.  Serve immediately before the foam subsides.