Spinach Espuma Sponge
By Chef Eoin Shiell
Serves: 10-15
Cook time: Ideally 4 hours
Espuma sponge
• 3 x whole eggs
• 1 x egg white
• 20g x cake flour
• 20g x icing sugar
• 120g x Spinach puree (roughly 100g cleaned uncooked spinach)
• 1ml x baking powder
• Pinch salt
• Pinch black pepper
• 2 x CO2 cartridges available from a kitchen supply shop like Binuns
• Spray and Cook
Method
1. To make the spinach puree place the spinach in a pot of salted boiling water for 20 seconds and remove immediately. Place straight away into a bowl of cold or ice water to stop the cooking process.
2. Remove from the cold water making sure to squeeze out the excess moisture from the spinach & blend in a jug blender or food processor with the salt and pepper until smooth. Keep in the fridge in a bowl until ready to use.
3. In a bowl cream (whisk) your eggs and icing sugar until they have doubled in volume and taken on a whiter colour.
4. Whisk in your flour, baking powder and spinach puree.
5. Make sure to pass your batter through a fine mesh sieve to ensure it is smooth.
6. Place into cleaned & dry siphon gun using a funnel or jug and close well.
7. Charge with two shots (cartridges) of the CO2 and store in the fridge for at least three hours, otherwise at least 30 minutes. You need to do this to give the Carbon Dioxide gas time to ‘aerate’ the batter.
8. Spray the inside of your Spray and Cook lid. Remove your canister from the fridge and shake very well, carefully squeeze the trigger and spray in 1/3 of the lid full of the batter.
If you over fill the amount of batter in the lid it will rise out and spill over whilst ‘baking’
9. Microwave for 30 seconds and remove from the microwave. Allow the sponge to stand in the lid for 20 seconds than turn out into a bowl or plate.
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 until all the batter is used.
11. Place into a deep container or bowl, cover well and store in the fridge for up to two days. Tear the sponge when ready to use for portions
I used my sponge in a Duo of Chicken dish with smoked drumstick, grilled breast, marinated beetroot, spinach sponge, soy lime cream, confit tomatoes, black salt brittle.
