Ingredients
Fennel flan
18ozfennel juice
3 eggs
2 kombu
½oz bonito flakes
2oz tamari (Unpasteurized)
4oz Sake (Unfiltered)
Razor clam and fennel stalk rillette
6 razor clams
1 orange zested
2 stalks from large Florence fennel
2oz fennel dashi
½oz citrus vinegar
½oz orange oil
Texas tarragon chiffonade, to taste
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Kuzu slurry
Fennel milk
1 bulb of fennel
14oz heavy cream
7oz whole milk
6oz blanched fennel fronds
Fennel cloud base
21oz fennel milk
6 egg yolks
2tsp cornstarch
Fennel pollen, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
2tbsp Guajillo honey
To serve
Bronze fennel fronds
Fennel pollen
Sea salt
Baby fennel
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Method
Fennel flan
Bring the Fennel Juice up to a quick simmer with the piece of bonito flake in it. Once the juice has come to a simmer lower the heat and allow the kombu and juice to steep at 170° F for 45 minutes. After the Fennel Juice has steeped with the kombu, add the bonito flakes and steep for another five minutes. Strain the infused fennel juice and season with the Tamari and Sake, allow to cool slightly, reserve 2 oz for garnish. Blend in the eggs into the remaining fennel dashi using an immersion hand blender. Reserve until serving time.
Razor clam and fennel stalk rillette
Steam the Razor Clams until they just begin to open (about 1 minute), allow to cool at room temperature. Zest one orange with a Swiss peeler and scrape all of the pith from the back side of it. Bring the zest up to a simmer three times from cold water. Each time the zest comes to a simmer strain and rinse thoroughly with cold water, return to a pot and repeat the process. Once the orange has been blanched to remove the bitterness dice the zest into 2mm squares, and dress in the citrus vinegar, orange oil, Texas tarragon, and salt & pepper.
Peel the fennel stalks and slice into thin coins. Blanch the coins in boiling salted water for 30seconds and refresh in ice water. Strain the chilled fennel coins and pat dry on paper towels, reserving for plating. Finely slice the razor clams on a bias and reserve until plating.
Fennel milk
Heat whole milk and cream to 180°F. Steep the fennel bulb and fronds for 30 minutes and then strain. Immediately place the fennel in an ice bath to cool. Reserve for the fennel cloud.
Fennel cloud base
Combine fennel milk, egg yolks, and cornstarch and cook over a double boiler until all the starches have completely cooked out. Blend custard with fennel fronds, honey, sea salt, and fennel pollen. Charge in an isi whipping can with two charges and reserve warm until needed.
To serve
Place 2 ounces of flan base in the serving dish and steam covered at 100° C in a combi oven or stove top steamer until just set, leaving the center a bit soft (about 5 minutes). Allow the flan to rest for two minutes while you mix together the shaved razor clams, and dressed orange zest, lightly coat the mix in reserved fennel dashi that has been thickened with light kuzu slurry. Spread this over the top of the flan. Cover the flan and rillette with the fennel cloud. Dress all of the garnish and lay over the top of the cloud, dust in fennel pollen and drizzle fruity olive oil around. Serve immediately.