Lentils du Puy, pancetta foam, meat jus and button onions

Serves Two

Components: scallops, lentils du Puy, meat jus, button onions, pancetta cream, pancetta garnish

Scallops

5-7 scallops (cleaned, 10/20’s)
30ml olive oil
20g salted butter
½ lemon
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Procedure –

Pour the olive oil in a pre-heated pan over medium heat. When the oil is near smoking point, season the scallops, which have been patted dry with paper towel and place them in the pan. Sear the scallops gently, shifting them in the pan to promote even cooking. When the scallops have developed a golden color, add the butter. The butter will help to continue the browning of the scallops, and develop a richer, more even color. This process will take about 3 minutes. When the searing is complete, turn the scallops over and squeeze the lemon over top. Turn the heat off, and let the scallops sit in the pan for a few minutes, and then remove.

Lentils

200g lentils du Puy
100g diced pancetta
100g diced white onion
100g diced carrot
60g diced leek
10g chopped garlic cloves
10 fresh thyme sprigs (tied with butcher twine)
50ml water
meat jus (refer to recipe)
button onions (refer to recipe)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Procedure –

Begin by soaking the lentils in amble cold water for at least twelve hours. Drain the lentils and then cover again in cold water and bring up to a simmer over medium heat. Continue cooking for around twelve minutes, or until the lentils are just cooked through, but not falling apart. When they have finished cooking, drain the lentils, and rinse them under cold water to remove any excess starch and cooking liquor. Drain once again, and set aside.

Put the diced pancetta into a shallow pot on medium heat. Render the pancetta down until it becomes crispy. Remove the pancetta, but leave the remaining fat in the pan. Place the diced onion, carrot and leek into the pot, and sauté for 5-6 minutes. When the vegetables become shinny and translucent, add the garlic, thyme sprigs, water and crisped pancetta. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and continue cooking on medium heat until the vegetables are soft. Remove from heat.

Take the cooled lentils and dress them with the pancetta and vegetable mixture. Add the meat jus and the button onions and warm in a small pot. Adjust seasoning as desired.

Meat Jus

100ml meat juices (the resting liquids or jus from any roasted beef)
50ml red wine sauce (refer to: Whole Roasted Beef Tenderloin Recipe)
5ml xeres vinegar
15ml hazelnut oil

Procedure –

Over medium heat, bring the meat juices and red wine sauce to a simmer. Add the xeres vinegar and cook for one minute. Strain through a fine sieve, and add the hazelnut oil. Adjust seasoning and set aside.

Button Onions

300g cleaned button onions
30ml duck fat
350ml chicken stock
30g butter

Procedure –

Put the duck fat into an ovenproof fry pan on medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the button onions and sauté until they begin to turn golden brown. Keep the onions moving in the pan, as they will burn easily. Add half of the butter into the pan and continue to sauté for about 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock into the pan and bring it to a boil. Add the rest of the butter and place the whole pan in the oven at about 350 degrees. Roast the onions in the oven for about 15 minutes. Return the pan to a burner at medium heat, and reduce the liquid until all the onions are glazed, and the mixture is shinny. There should be a minimal amount of liquid in the pan.

NOTE: For convenience use cleaned frozen button onions, which have been thawed, drained through a sieve and patted dry.

Pancetta Cream

200g diced pancetta
100g sliced shallots
40g sliced garlic cloves
6 sprigs thyme
100ml white wine
1 fresh bay leaf
10 peppercorns
800ml whipping cream

Procedure –

Put the diced pancetta into a deep saucepot on medium heat. Render the pancetta down until it becomes crispy. Add the shallots, garlic, thyme, white wine, bay leaf and peppercorns. Reduce this mixture by half. Add the cream and reduce until the total amount of liquid is around 600ml. Season to taste then strain through a sieve and set aside.

Pancetta Crisp

10 thin slice of pancetta (approximately 1mm in width)

Procedure –

Place the pancetta slices on a baking tray that has been lined with parchment paper. Place another sheet of parchment paper over top, then another baking tray on top of the paper. Bake in an oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the pancetta has become crispy. Remove the crisps and place onto a paper towel to remove any excess fat.