Selling like hock cakes!!

Here are a couple of dishes iv'e done recently. The dish above is a buttermilk and thyme poached torchon of organic Hyden farm chicken (63C for 35 mins). It is glazed with a foie gras butter. There is a royale of Trompette and Girolle mushrooms. simple glazed seasonal vegetables and a gremolata of sorts made from dried trompette mushroom, parsley, malden sea salt and roasted chicken skin. The chicken skin is not there for show, it is there to add a roasted flavour element to the dish without taking away from the delicate poached chicken.

The plate below is a ham hock dish just released on our bistro menu. The ham hock is soaked for 24 hours to remove the salty taste from

the brine. I touch of butter and a sage leaf and re heated for service in hot water. The garnish is a saute hash of butternut squash, apple and leek which sits underneath. The sauce is made by reducing the cooking stock until you reach the desired flavour. Making a veloute with this and finishing with fresh sage and grain mustard. Further enhance,ents are crisp sage leaves, candied walnut and grilled spring onion.

The dish below is a buttermilk and thyme poached torchon of organic Hyden farm chicken (63C for 35 mins). It is glazed with a foie gras butter. There is a royale of Trompette and Girolle mushrooms. simple glazed seasonal vegetables and a gremolata of sorts made from dried trompette mushroom, parsley, malden sea salt and roasted chicken skin. The chicken skin is not there for show, it is there to add a roasted flavour element to the dish without taking away from the delicate poached chicken.

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This weeks du jour menu

Chilled white gazpacho with compressed melon, cucumber and white grape

Wild halibut fillet poached in a tumeric and lime leaf nage, curry cured duck egg yolk, mango vinegar froth and thai basil

Herefordshire beef fillet glazed with brioche and morels, Cheltenham beetroot, foie gras veloute

Barkham blue cheese mousse, balsamic caramel, red grape curd

Chicken liver and foie gras parfait, pineapple and vanilla compote, 5 spice cracker

This an amuse bouche from a few days ago. Great feedback from guests which is what counts!

Here is the recipe for the parfait:

Chicken Liver and Foie Gras Parfait

Fresh foie gras	g	250
Fresh chicken livers	g	250
Ruby port	ml	125
Madeira	ml	125
Brandy	ml	60
Shallots(peeled and sliced)	g	150
Garlic(peeled and sliced)	clove	2
Tyhme	sprig	2
Eggs	ea	5
Unsalted butter	g	500
Pink salt(nitrate)	tspn	1
Salt
Ground white pepper

1. Preheat a low oven to 250°F, or a Rational oven to 90ºC. Chop the foie gras and chicken livers(season the livers with pink salt) into small pieces and place them in a large pan and bring them up to room temperature. Crack the eggs into a large pan and also bring them up to room temperature. Melt the butter in a pan and keep warm.
2. Reduce all of the alcohol with the shallots, garlic, and thyme until almost dry and remove the thyme.
3. Liquidize the foie gras, chicken livers and eggs until smooth, then add the butter slowly but steadily and correct the seasoning. You will need to do this in batches. For a smoother parfait, leave the blender running for a few minutes. Pass the mixture through a fine chinois.
4. Line the bottom of the terrine (1-1/2 qt capacity) with parchment paper. Pour the mixture into the terrine molds just below the lip and cover with foil. Place the parfaits into a bain-marie with the water level with the parfait mix. Cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 60- 65C. Remove from the bain-marie, leave to cool to room temperature then refridgerate for 24 hours.
5. If not using immediately, cover the parfait with clarified butter. This will stop the parfait from oxidizing.