Hot food: Vegetable ice-cream

What is it?

Smooth, creamy, irresistible ice-cream made from vegetables such as parsnip, carrot and beetroot. It's either a fiendishly clever plot to get people to eat more vegetables, or a fiendishly clever plot to get people to eat more ice-cream. Vegetable ice-creams for dessert are, in fact, nothing new – Mexico adores its pumpkin, Japan loves its sweet potato, and Thailand its sweetcorn – but this is part of a recent global trend to put vegetables in EVERYTHING. Note, please, the existence of the kale martini.

Where is it?

At the hot new ACME pasta bar in Kings Cross, chef Mitch Orr is melting hearts with his smooth, nutty Jerusalem artichoke ice-cream, served with crunchy hazelnut praline and crisp-fried Jerusalem artichoke chips. "It's seasonal and interesting, and it seemed like I couldn't really stuff it up," says Orr. "Root vegetables have a natural sweetness, especially when slow-roasted in their skins."

At the highly elevated No 35 on the 35th floor of the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, executive chef Martin Horsley and dessert chef Elizabeth Hains have created an adventurous riff on risotto and parmesan. Their chilled "risotto" is a naturally sweet sago flavoured with slow-roasted pumpkin, topped with a delicate pumpkin ice-cream, rum-soaked raisins and candied pecans, served under a shower of white chocolate "parmesan". "We work with vegetables that already have a natural sweetness of their own, and just enhance it," Horsley says. "People find it quite intriguing."

Why do I care?

Because it's unexpected, exciting, bold and brave – and how many desserts can you say that about? And because you won't need to be told twice to finish your vegetables.

Can I do it at home?

Yes. An ice-cream machine does the work for you, otherwise use the freeze-and-break-up method described in the recipe to ensure a smooth, creamy texture.

Carrot ice-cream

Ice-cream that's good for your eye sight – who knew? To serve, scatter with walnuts, serve with walnut or carrot cake, or scoop into waffle cones.

600g carrots, peeled and diced

125g sugar

300ml thickened cream

100ml orange juice

1. Cook the carrots in a pot of simmering water until tender (about 20 minutes), then drain and leave to cool. Heat the sugar and 300 millilitres of water in a small pan while stirring, and boil for two minutes, then leave to cool.

2. In a blender, whiz the cooled carrots and syrup to a smooth puree. Add the cream and orange juice and whiz until smooth.

3. Churn in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until frozen (usually about 20 minutes), or freeze in a shallow container and use a strong fork to break up any crystals, once an hour for three hours. Store in the freezer, and transfer to the fridge for 10 minutes to soften slightly, before serving.

Serves 4

Sourcing

VIC

No 35, Level 35, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, 25 Collins Street, Melbourne 03 9653 7744 www.no35.com.au

NSW

ACME, 60 Bayswater Rod, Rushcutters Bay 02 8068 0932 www.weareacme.com.au