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MIGUEL SIERRA
A LOOK TOWARDS NATURE
www.miguelsierra.es

Sprouts and shoots, flowers, and micro-vegetables

have been established with force in the gastronomic
world. It is a look towards nature and to the earth as a
fountain of life, of flavor, and of health. In fact, sprouts,
and by this we mean the sprouts and shoots of germi-
nated seeds, are “live” nourishment, rich in nutrients,
enzymes, and amino-acids. Moreover, the variety is
almost infinite; wheat, corn, oats, rye, soy, alfalfa, as well
as all types of flowers, and legumes, among others. All
of these allow us to have an ample flavor and sensation
palette to enjoy. Miguel Sierra, Best Master Patissier in
Spain 2001, is a scholar of all the elements that nature
offers and its gastronomic possibilities. In his work, he
actively collaborates with institutions such as
‘Fundación Grande Covián’ and ‘Cofradía del
Colesterol’. On this occasion, Sierra concentrates on
sprouts and shoots, flowers, and citrus fruits as “filling”
for an original chocolate “sandwich” in which he also
incorporates olive oil or cider vinegar.
The second elaboration is a peculiar and suggestive
drink, made out of chocolate, corn, and bourbon,
named Atole. Beverages made from corn flour and

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159 so good..
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chocolate (xoco atl = bitter water, in the Nahuatl lan-
guage), and their countless variations, were the main
drinks in the ancient, powerful, and enigmatic Pre-
Hispanic Olmec, Maya and Aztec civilizations. Their
essential ingredients are corn and chocolate. Corn was
introduced in Europe, which then formed part of its
culture, from the coast of Asturias, among other pla-
ces, in the year 1604 by Admiral and Governor of
Florida D. Gonzalo Méndez Cancio. He brought the
corn in two wooden chests with instructions on how
to cultivate it. One of those chests is conserved and is
still in existence. The recovery of archaic varieties of
rustic corn has permitted him to obtain an exceptional
cornmeal which he uses in pastry.
The atole consists of a chocolate made of a highly pure
cocoa, vanilla, sugar, and soy lecithin, crowned by an
extremely light corn foam and culminated with a corn
sprout.
There is an exclusively adult version which is presented
accompanied by a Bourbon and corn whisky pipette.
This pipette contains the right dose which, after
various tries and taste tests, was considered suitable to
boost the organoleptic qualities of the chocolate, this
way moderately adding an alcohol “spark” to the drink.
A harmoniously flavored and refreshing drink, with a
softly perfumed aroma because of the presence of
cocoa and vanilla, a soft texture and visually elegant
and attractive.
Beverages made
from corn flour and
chocolate (xoco atl
= bitter water, in the Nahuatl language), and their coun-
tless variations, were the main drinks in the ancient,
powerful, and enigmatic Pre-Hispanic Olmec, Maya and
Aztec civilizations.
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SPROUT AND CITRUS FRUIT SALAD

Sprouts and flower of all types, a lemon, an orange, Maldon salt, peppercorns, olive oil
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MIGUEL SIERRA

corn and lemon verbena dacquoise

200 g corn meal
149 g confectioners’ sugar
5 g lemon verbena, powdered
3 g salt

424 g egg whites, at room temperature

211 g granulated sugar

Combine the corn meal, sugar, salt and lemon verbena in a bowl.
Sift and leave aside.
Whisk the egg whites together with the sugar. When they hold stiff
peaks, gently fold in the dry mixture.
Spread into 0.5-cm-thick sheets. Bake at 170ºC for 7 minutes
approximately. Remove from the oven and rapidly cool in a blast
chiller.
Cut into 6x17-cm rectangles.

vinegar cream
263 g Lactée Barry milk chocolate
263 g Tanzanie 75% cocoa dark chocolate
263 g heavy cream, 35% fat
80 g glucose syrup 42 DE
45 g butter
150 g cider vinegar

Combine the cream and glucose and bring to a boil. Pour over
both chocolates and mix well. When the mixture has a temperatu-
re of 40ºC, add the butter cut into dice. Finally add the vinegar.
Pour over a 8x20-cm and 1-cm-high frame, in whose center the
dacquoise should have been placed. Fill, smooth down and freeze.

olive-based cream
150 g whole milk
118 g heavy cream, 35% fat
12 g invert sugar
45 g egg yolk
15 g 0.4º olive oil
5 g soy lecithin FOR THE SPRAY, USE A TPT MIXTURE OF COCOA BUTTER AND
TANZANIE DARK COUVERTURE, AT A TEMPERATURE OF 45ºC.
Place the milk and cream into the thermomix and heat up to 40ºC.
PEEL THE CITRUS FRUITS, EXTRACT THE SLICES AND CUT INTO 1-CM
Add the sugar, egg yolk, lecithin and oil. Cook to 82ºC.
DICE. STORE TOGETHER WITH THE SPROUTS, FLOWERS, ETC.

tanzanie-olive mousse FINISHING AND ASSEMBLY

330 g 70% cocoa Tanzanie dark couverture UNMOLD THE CREAM AND THE MOUSSE.
382 g heavy cream, 35% fat PLACE THE MOUSSE WITH THE CHOCOLATE SHEET UPSIDE DOWN
254 g olive-based cream AND THE CREAM WITH THE DACQUOISE BISCUIT UPSIDE DOWN AS
WELL. SPRAY.
Pour the olive-based cream over the chocolate and mix until obtai- TOP THE CREAM WITH THREE DARK CHOCOLATE DICE, THE CITRUS
ning a glossy, smooth cream. Fold in the semi-whipped cream,
FRUITS, THE SPROUTS, ETC, AND FINALLY THE MOUSE.
which should be at a temperature of 10ºC. Fill a frame the same
FINISH BY CROWNING WITH THE BLACK PEPPERCORNS AND
size as the previous one, place the thin chocolate sheet and deep-
freeze. MALDON SALT.

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