920. BOILED BACON SHANK, BROAD BEANS and LOVAGE SALAD with CRISPY QUAIL EGG

serves 4


1 bacon shank
4 quail eggs
20 lovage leaves, picked
breadcrumbs
salt
cayenne pepper
flour
one beaten egg, with a dash of milk
75 grams pork fat, 1 cm cubes
100ml whipping cream
125 grams broad beans, cooked and picked
10 leaves flat-leaf parsley
300 grams mixed salad leaves
vinaigrette

Boil the bacon shank for at least two hours and reserve in the cooking liquor, to keep moist and finish cooking. Carefully poach quail eggs for one minute, refresh in iced water and drain - they should be firm but spongy. Mix breadcrumbs with a little finely chopped lovage, a pinch of salt and a good pinch of the cayenne. Dip quail eggs in the flour, then the beaten egg, then the breadcrumbs. Reserve for deep-frying. Shred the bacon into chunks, place in a saucepan with a little of the cooking liquor and warm through. Pan-fry the pork fat until golden to make little croûtons, and season. Make a lovage cream by bringing the cream to the boil, and add 10 of the lovage leaves and the parsley. Season, and blitz with a hand blender until bright green. Dress the salad leaves, add the warm pieces of bacon, beans, pork fat and the rest of the lovage, shredded. Place in centre of plate. Deep-fry the quail eggs until crispy and place on top of the salad. Spoon the lovage cream around.


courtesy of: James Mackenzie, chef-proprietor, Pipe and Glass Inn, South Dalton, East Yorkshire