Wild Pennsylvania Pheasant Consomme & Black Winter Truffle, Fried Salsify, Marjoram, Pea Leaves, Chervil, Salad Burnett, Maple
A consommé is a richly flavored broth that is clarified before being served to remove fat and other particulates. This clarification is traditionally achieved with a cap of egg white floated on top of the broth. I think this method is a giant pain-in-the-ass so I clarify mine with cheesecloth. Either way, the desired outcome is something that sort of messes with your senses. Something that looks simple and one-dimensional but that tastes incredibly rich and complex.
My consommé began by roasting a big pile of pheasant bones in the oven at 450 for about an hour. While the bones were roasting I sauteed some onion, leeks, garlic, celery and carrot in pork fat. I added the roasted bones to the pot along with a quart of chicken stock, a quart of water, some fresh thyme and dried bay leaf. I cooked everything low and slow for about 3 hours, topping the pot off with water as needed only during the first hour. At the very end of the cooking process I added some sherry vinegar and juice from jarred black truffles. I strained the broth to remove the bones and vegetables and allowed it to cool so the fat congealed. Then I passed it through a sieve lined with cheesecloth twice to completely remove any remaining sediment.
I peeled the salsify removing it's outer layer. I then sliced very thin strips of the salsify and fried them in rapeseed oil til they were slightly browned. I removed them from the oil, allowed the access oil to drip off, seasoned them and formed them, while still hot, into little nests.
I heated the consommé up in a small sauce pan and ladled it into the bowl. I placed the salsify nest into the bowl and attached the greens to it by dipping them in maple syrup. I finished the dish off with a few drops of black truffle oil.
My consommé began by roasting a big pile of pheasant bones in the oven at 450 for about an hour. While the bones were roasting I sauteed some onion, leeks, garlic, celery and carrot in pork fat. I added the roasted bones to the pot along with a quart of chicken stock, a quart of water, some fresh thyme and dried bay leaf. I cooked everything low and slow for about 3 hours, topping the pot off with water as needed only during the first hour. At the very end of the cooking process I added some sherry vinegar and juice from jarred black truffles. I strained the broth to remove the bones and vegetables and allowed it to cool so the fat congealed. Then I passed it through a sieve lined with cheesecloth twice to completely remove any remaining sediment.
I peeled the salsify removing it's outer layer. I then sliced very thin strips of the salsify and fried them in rapeseed oil til they were slightly browned. I removed them from the oil, allowed the access oil to drip off, seasoned them and formed them, while still hot, into little nests.
I heated the consommé up in a small sauce pan and ladled it into the bowl. I placed the salsify nest into the bowl and attached the greens to it by dipping them in maple syrup. I finished the dish off with a few drops of black truffle oil.