An explorer of flavours, a seeker of emotion and intensity across vast palettes of taste, Bruno Verjus invited our Maison DEHESA organic black mandarin into one of his spring dishes. The starred chef of the restaurant Table, a true theatre of Parisian gastronomy, has published a book devoted to this quest across the full spectrum of culinary pleasure: L’art de nourrir, published by Flammarion. “Only one sound separates ‘nourrir’ from ‘mourir’, nourishing from dying. Between the two lies the whole span of life.” Or the art of living fully, on the plate and around the table.
The pea, with Maison DEHESA black mandarin
In this dish, before we speak of our black mandarin, there is first the pea. Green caviar, the freshness of the kitchen garden in its purest form, the pea is interesting for its round, playful shape, but also, and above all, for its aromatic complexity. This is especially true of the heirloom Lincoln variety chosen by Bruno Verjus. A true vegetable sugar, entirely natural, “which bursts in the mouth with that liquorice note”.
And with the pea comes rhubarb, another spring star in the chefs’ repertoire of flavours, bringing acidity. “It sharpens the sweetness of the pea,” he says. Everything is a question of balance and equilibrium, as we explained in our article devoted to acidity, sweetness and umami.
Our mandarins: a maturation process inspired by Iranian tradition
As Bruno Verjus points out, “the world of this black mandarin highlights the work of maturation, and the time, devoted to citrus fruit in Iran”. Indeed, at Maison DEHESA, we draw inspiration from fermentation processes and the natural evolution of produce, through ancestral human know-how. We do so mostly following Japanese and Spanish methods, and sometimes those of other cultures, as in Iran. With this Iranian tradition of drying and fermenting citrus fruit, notably black lemon.
A way of preserving food, but also of bringing another dimension of taste, with complexity and a controlled bitterness.
And so, alongside this black mandarin inspired by Iranian tradition, chef Bruno Verjus invited the pistachio, another emblem of the gastronomy of this Middle Eastern country. By way of homage. Note, however, that our citrus fruit does indeed come from our region of choice, the Dehesa.
Black mandarin, “like a salt”
As a finishing touch, a note that makes all the difference in this dish exploring the complexity of flavours, the chef grates our slices of black mandarin horizontally. “Like a salt, a flavour enhancer,” he says. Our black mandarin seasons the plate and brings “a controlled bitterness”. Or the art of nourishing with intention and awareness. Honouring flavours in all their complexity.
Find all our products in our shop and set out, in your turn, to explore flavours sometimes forgotten!