There are many disadvantages to choosing a life working in a professional kitchen, from low pay, long hours, lack of benefits, loss of social life , burns, sour feet, bad backs and weird skin problems with your hands after touching vegetables all day . But the worst of all has to be the constant jet lag you have from having your time clock thrown into constant disarray. Some days I have very little concept of what day it is never mind what time of day it is. Somehow I manage to make it in to work every day and never get tired on the job, but on my days off I become a teenage student once again, sleeping until 12 and staying up until three in the morning with a bottle of wine trying to grasp every last minute of those treasured hours. And then on the days your back to work and have to get up at 6am, you've overslept and all you do is toss and turn in bed with your mind racing about this and that and what goes with what, sadly mostly food related stuff that I'm trying to put as far out of my mind as I can. Sometimes though some good stuff comes of these meandering half dreams and this I'm proud to say is one of them.
Poaching the Quail
This is one of these times that looking up the internet for recipe times could backfire badly. Poaching times such as fifteen minutes seem to be common place even one at 20 minutes . I wonder if those people ever eat food full stop.
I first browned of the bird in a hot pan then transfered it to a cold pot. I deglazed the roasting pan with a splash and a half of white wine and added it to the cold pan. I then topped up with chicken stock and a few leftover bits and bobs like dried herbs, crushed garlic and potentially whatever was lying around and tasted nice and felt right.
The liquid was brought to a simmer then I took it straight of the heat and left it to cool for 10 mins. The birds were maybe even too dry for my liking after this and the second time I did this I reduced the cooling time by half. God knows what 15 mins of further boiling would have done ? I shall never know.
The Croque
Saying 'it's own croque monsieur ' probably sounds more wanky than the process actually is, but here goes.
I made a flourless mornay by reducing some of the leftover poaching liquor adding double cream, reducing more and then finally adding lots of grated gruyere cheese and spoonful of dijon mustard. The result is a wonderfully rich spread from which leftovers can be enjoyed for several days to come (think late night drunken sandwiches from heaven).
The mornay mix is then spread on the inside sides of your bread of choice and filled with iberico ham. This is then fried in butter on both sides in a pan. Then more of the mix is spread on the top if the sandwich and grilled to get that lovely browned cheesy top effect.
Once on the plate I added a little splash of raspberry vinegar brown butter to add some much needed acidity, some very very very fine chopped shallot and some oregano.
This is still a work in progress but a very tasty start and hopefully the first of many successful recipe dreams.
