Celery Root Soup, Kiwi, Honey Roasted Cashews, and Chicory Gelée

METHOD:

For the Chicory Gelée:
Combine the chicory, star anise, sugar, water, vinegar, agar agar, and salt in a saucepot. Bring to a full rolling boil over a high heat, and strain. Whisk in the gelatin and pour the mixture into a half hotel pan lined with plastic wrap. Let cool in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours; remove from plastic wrap and cut into a small dice.

For the Celery Root Soup:
Combine the celery root in a saucepot with the cream and half-and-half. Bring to a boil over a medium heat. Reduce to a simmer until the celery root is soft. In a blender, purée the mixture and pass it through a chinois. Season with the vinegar, salt, and nutmeg. Keep hot until ready to serve.

For the Honey-roasted Cashews:
Preheat the oven to 275°F. In a saucepot, melt the butter and combine with honey and vanilla bean. Toss the cashews in the mixture until coated. Bake in the oven, rotating every 4 minutes to avoid burning, until the cashews are golden brown. Remove from the oven and put in a mixing bowl. As the nuts cool, toss them with salt and sugar until the nuts are coated and room temperature. Chop.

For the Kiwi:
Cut the fuzzy skin off the kiwis and cut into a small dice. Combine with the Chicory Gelée and Honey-roasted Cashews in a mixing bowl and toss until they are evenly distributed.

To Assemble and Serve:
Plate 2 tablespoons of the Kiwi-Cashew-Gelée mixture in the bottom of a serving bowl. Pour the Celery Root Soup over the cold Kiwi Salad tableside.