Croustillant of Golden Cross goats cheese with candied tomato, fennel and pickled watermelon rind

Here is a dish i have had my du jour menu this week. The cheese is an unpasteuriesd goats cheese from Sussex, which is rolled in oak ash and then matured. It is whipped with a little creme fraiche. The tube is made with rice papper which is deep fried to make it crisp. The cheese itself has hints of macadamia nut and burnt caramel on the palette. It eats nicely with the sweetness of the tomato being tempered by the tartness of the watermelon rind, leaving an aroma from the fennel to round it off. Garnish is some small fennel fronds.

Marinated sardines, semolina cake, crunchy fennel salad, red pepper fool

A mordern twist on a mediteranean classic!