“For me, the first thing you think of when you eat this dish is bacon and eggs. The dish plays on that so well, with the smokiness of the duck egg emphasising the complexity of the jamón, and all of it contrasting with the freshness of the peas and sweetness of the sherry gelée. It’s the ultimate marriage of flavours and textures. And while it’s not necessarily something you’d cook at home, it’s one of many reasons to go and eat at Bécasse and have one of Sydney’s best chefs, Justin North, cook it for you.”
Matt Moran, Aria, NSW
Ingredients
Ibérico crumbs
Oloroso sherry jelly
Pea mousseline
Method
Main
1.For Ibérico crumbs, heat fat in a frying pan over high heat, add jamón and pancetta and cook until crisp and golden, and fat renders (1-2 minutes). Add crumbs, thyme and 2 tsp sea salt and toss to combine. Cook until crumbs are crisp and golden (3-5 minutes). Drain on absorbent paper, transfer to a tray and rub mixture through fingers to combine. Set aside.
2.For oloroso sherry jelly, combine sherry and agar agar in a saucepan, bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve agar agar (1-2 minutes). Strain through a fine sieve and cool to room temperature until set. Process in a blender until smooth and transfer to a squeezy bottle.
3.Bring a large saucepan of water to 63C over low heat, place eggs in water and cook, maintaining temperature, for 50 minutes. Drain.
4.Meanwhile line a large wok with 2 layers of foil, add woodchips and top with a rack which fits snugly over chips, cover with another snug-fitting lid and heat over high heat until smoking (7-10 minutes). Carefully crack eggs onto a baking paper-lined heatproof tray, place on top of rack, cover with lid, turn off heat and smoke until just opaque (3-5 minutes). Keep warm.
5.For pea mousseline, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add onion, thyme and garlic, season to taste and stir occasionally until tender (5-7 minutes). Add butter and cook until onion is very soft (5-10 minutes). Add stock and bring to the boil, then season to taste. Add peas, cook over high heat until very soft (7-10 minutes) and strain, reserving 40ml liquid. Process pea mixture in a blender until smooth (about 30 seconds) adding reserved liquid until consistency is between dollop and pouring. Season to taste and set aside in a warm place until needed.
6.Divide mousseline among plates, squeeze dots of sherry jelly on top and serve with a smoked egg scattered with Ibérico crumbs.
Note Rosewood or other smoking woodchips are available from Landscape gardening or barbecue stores. Jamón Ibérico is cured black pig that has been fed on acorns, and is available from Spanish delicatessens. Oloroso sherry is available from liquor shops. Agar agar is a setting agent derived from seaweed and is available from healthfood shops.
