This delicate, compact chicken and red curry canapé from Nuno Mendes is a powerhouse of Thai flavours and looks beautiful sandwiched between its coconut tuiles.
Scrape any excess fat from the uncooked chicken skins. Place the chicken skin between 2 sheets of baking parchment and between two baking trays. Bake for 15 minutes or until crisp
Spread the mixture into 10 x small 3cm square plastic moulds, sprinkle with togarashi and bake in the oven for 18 minutes. Remove from the heat then carefully remove the tuiles from the moulds
1 pinch of togarashi
8
For the Thai soup, sweat the chopped fennel and onion, the lemongrass, lime leaves and curry paste in a large saucepan, over a low heat for 4-5 minutes
Chop the lemongrass and lime leaves finely, and grate the ginger. In a small bowl, combine the lemongrass, lime leaves, ginger and oil. Combine this mixture with the chicken thighs
Add the chopped coriander and up to 200ml of the Thai soup, adding a little at at time until the chicken is a consistency that will hold its shape as a mousse
For a chef, having mentors like Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Ferran Adrià must be akin to taking music classes with Chopin and Brahms. Nuno Mendes' London restaurant demonstrates the qualities of ambition that most good protégés possess.
