Short rib, salt-baked carrot By Adam Handling @ The Frog, London.
By Adam Handling @ The Frog, Chelsea
Adam Handlin’s culinary journey started at Gleneagles where he was the first ever trainee chef, before he went on to become Fairmont’s youngest ever Head Chef, culminating in winning Scottish Young Chef of The Year 2011. At the 2013 Acorn Awards, he was the youngest person to be tipped by the Caterer Magazine as one of the ‘30 under 30 to watch.” Adam is now Chef owner of Frog by Adam Handling - Covent Garden, The Frog Hoxton, Eve Bar - Covent Garden, Iron Stag Bar - Hoxton, Bean & Wheat and Black & White.
Method
Step 1 - For the masterstock
Pour the chicken stock into a saucepan and bring to 80°C. Take off the heat, add the remaining ingredients and infuse until the stock is cold. Strain the stock through a muslin cloth.
Step 2 - For the spice mix
Toast all the spices in individual pans then cool to room temperature. Blend to a fine powder.
Step 3 - For the short rib
Season the ribs all over with salt, and caramelise each side in a pan. Season the ribs with the dry spice mix and place in a vacuum pac bag with enough master stock to fully cover the ribs. Cook in the water bath at 85°C for 12 hours. Remove from the bath and cool to room temperature. Remove from the bag, slide the bones from the meat and then press the ribs in the fridge until cold and pressed. Turn the potatoes on the Japanese turning wheel, blanche and refresh the potato sheets in boiling salted water. Dry the potato out on cloths. Portion the short rib into rectangles and roll tightly in the potato. Leave to set in the fridge for 3 hours.
Step 4 - For the roast carrot steak
Cut the carrots in half and then into 2cm by 4cm diamonds. In a medium-sized pan, seal the carrots cut side down until deeply caramelised. Turn the carrots over and add the star anise, butter and water to make an emulsion. Simmer the carrots until glazed and tender. Cool in the braising liquor and refrigerate in the liquor, until ready to serve.
Step 5 - For the carrot puree
Place the carrots in a deep heavy-based saucepan with the star anise and salt. Cover with carrot juice and bring to the boil. Continue simmering to cook the carrots and reduce the juice to a glaze. Once the carrots are completely tender and juice is reduced, add to a blender, with heat settings, and blitz on full speed until smooth and emulsified. Pass through a chinois and season with salt, to taste. Place into a vacuum bag and freeze, until ready to use.
Step 6 - For the pickled carrot discs
Turn the carrots on the Japanese turning wheel and cut out different sized discs. Place the carrots into vacuum pac bags of anzu and compress- only pickle the same colours together to avoid any colours running.
Step 7 - For serving
Deep fry one of the portions of short rib, wrapped in potatoes, until golden-brown and hot. Trim off the ends and season. Second cook the carrot steak by re-caramelising in the emulsion. Add the puree onto the plate in 3 places, with the carrot steak to the left and the beef on the right. Garnish with the carrot pickle, spring onion oil and chicken sauce. Sprinkle with the spice mixture and finish with marigolds and carrot tops.
© Adam Handling 2021
For more information on Adam Handling and Restaurants www.adamhandling.co.uk
Ingredients:
FOR THE MASTER STOCK
5lt white chicken stock (see ‘Basics’)
2.5lt rice wine vinegar
250g peeled ginger
5 bunches spring onions
500g caster sugar
500ml light soy
200g cinnamon sticks
Prep time: 30 minutes
FOR THE SPICE MIX
200g coriander seeds
20g star anise
12g allspice
6g mace
Peel of 5 oranges
Prep time: 5 minutes
FOR THE SHORT RIB
1 x 4 bone-in Jacobs ladder
Spice mix
Masterstock
10 large Koffmann blue potatoes, scrubbed and peeled
Prep time: 24 hours
FOR THE CARROT PUREE
1kg donkey carrots, peeled and chopped
1lt carrot juice
1 star anise
15g table salt
Prep time 30 minutes
FOR THE PICKLED CARROT DISCS
2 yellow sand carrots
2 purple sand carrots
2 orange sand carrots
1lt anzu (see ‘Basics’)
Prep time: 12 hours
FOR THE ROAST CARROT STEAK
10 medium-sized, straight donkey carrots, peeled and trimmed
1 star anise
250g unsalted butter
250g bottled water
15g table salt
5g jerk seasoning (See ‘Basics)
Prep time: 45 minutes
FOR THE GARNISH
Marigold leaves
Carrot tops
Spring onion oil (see ‘Basics’)
Chicken sauce (see ‘Basics’)
