Adam's starter
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Chicken consommé with celeriac
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the chicken brine
450g/1lb water
25g/1oz salt
1 sprig thyme
½ clove garlic
1 bay leaf
6 white peppercorns
For the chicken wings
4 corn fed chicken wings
200g/7oz brine
For the chicken spam
215g/7½oz boneless corn fed chicken thighs
215g/7½oz brine
115g/4oz pork fat
4g pancetta
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
2g meat glue
1 sprig thyme, picked and chopped
For the chicken skin
10g duck fat
1 sprig thyme
½ clove garlic
8 corn fed chicken skins from the thighs
For the chicken consommé
1.5kg/3¼lb chicken wings, chopped into small pieces
1kg/2¼lb water
10g garlic
1 sprig thyme
30g/1oz celery
25g/1oz leek
10g flat leaf parsley
22g/1oz onion
1 bay leaf
4 white peppercorns
150g/5oz grapeseed oil
250g/9oz unsalted butter
For the chicken clarification
60g/2oz chicken breast
20g/¾oz carrot
5g white onion
40g/1½oz egg whites
For the chicken egg
12 medium free-range eggs
For the beurre noisette butter
125g/4½oz salted butter
24g/1oz lemon juice
17g/½oz maltodextrin
For the confit celeriac
1 small celeriac
Pinch of salt
250g/9oz duck fat
For the celeriac choucroute
150g/5oz celeriac, julienned
40g/1½oz duck fat
12g/½oz white wine vinegar, reduced to 6g
15g/½oz smoked back bacon
Large pinch of salt
1 sprig thyme
¼ clove garlic
For the cod roe puree
100g/3½oz smoked cod roe
100g/3½oz grapeseed oil
25g/1oz water
1 egg yolk
5g lemon juice
For the garnish
1 punnet chickweed
Method
1. For the chicken brine, bring all the ingredients to the boil then allow to cool to 40°C/104°F, or to blood temperature.
2. For the chicken wings, remove the two bones from the chicken wings by removing the top and bottom of the wing and pushing the bones through, checking to make sure there are no splinters. Place into the brine at 40°C/104°F, or at blood temperature, and leave for 1½ hours. Remove from the brine and pat dry. Place into a vac pack bag and cook in a water bath at 60°C for 1 hour. Remove from the water bath. Alternatively, poach the chicken wings at 60°C for 1 hour. Press the wings lightly before frying in grapeseed oil to crisp the skin.
3. For the chicken spam, place the chicken thighs in the brine at 40°C/104°F, or blood temperature, for 4 hours. Remove from the brine and dry well. Add the pork fat, thyme and seasoning and mince twice through a fine mincer. Place into a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Place into plastic trays and vac pack. Cook in a preheated water bath at 70°C until the core reaches 68°C, about 45 minutes. Remove from the water bath and place into an iced bath. Alternatively, tightly wrap the spam in cling film and poach in water at about 70°C for 45 minutes. Once cold, dice into small squares and reheat in the hot consommé.
4. For the chicken skin, infuse the duck fat with the thyme and garlic. Scrape the excess fat of the chicken skins. Once this is done, add the chicken skin to the infused duck fat and cook slowly on a low heat until the skins go crispy. Remove from the heat, drain and season lightly.
5. For the chicken consommé, fry the chicken wings in the grapeseed oil. As they start to colour, add the butter and continue to roast until golden. Drain well. Place into a suitable size pan with all the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 2 hours. Remove, pass and chill. Remove the fat, place into a clean pan and clarify.
6. For the chicken clarification, place everything excluding the egg white into a blender and blend well. In a separate bowl, lightly whip the egg whites. Place the blended chicken mix into a bowl and incorporate the egg whites. Add the clarification mixture to the warm chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Pass through muslin.
7. For the chicken egg, preheat the water bath to 62°C. Place the eggs into the water bath and cook for 1 hour 10 minutes. Hold at 50°C for 20 minutes. Remove from the water bath. Break the shell and remove the egg. Then separate the white from the yolk and just serve the yolk seasoned with fleur de sel and black pepper. Alternatively, separate an egg to leave you solely with the egg yolk. Poach the egg yolk in barely simmering water with a little vinegar until cooked, then season with fleur de sel and black pepper.
8. For the beurre noisette butter, place the butter into a pan and put on the stove. Take to a nut brown colour then remove from the stove. Add the lemon juice then pass through muslin. Weigh out 20g and place into a bowl. Add the maltodextrin and whisk until a powder is formed.
9. For the confit celeriac, preheat the oven to 60°C. Peel the celeriac and slice into 1cm slices. Season for 30 minutes with the salt, pat dry and place into a baking dish. Bring the duck fat to 70°C, then pour over the sliced celeriac. Place into the oven until cooked, about 2 hours. Refresh in iced water. Break into pieces and dehydrate in a dehydrator, or in the oven at 52°C, for 1½ hours.
10. For the celeriac choucroute, warm the duck fat in a pan. Add the thyme, garlic and bacon and allow to infuse. Add the julienne of celeriac and cook without colour. Cover with cling film and sweat slowly for 20 minutes or until cooked. The texture should be soft but still slightly crunchy.
11. For the cod roe purée, pass the cod roe through a fine tamis or drum sieve. Place into the food processor and blend with the egg yolk. Add the grapeseed oil until fully incorporated. As it gets thicker add a little warm water to stop it splitting. Add the lemon juice, taste and adjust if required.
12. To serve, start the plate with a spoonful of cod roe purée and the celeriac choucroute. Top this base with the egg yolk, the crisp chicken wing and the chicken spam. Sprinkle over the beurre noisette powder and garnish with the chickweed. Separately serve the crispy chicken skin and the dehydrated celeriac. Serve the chicken consommé on the side.
