Telecherry Seared Carpaccio of Wagyu
Cloaking a Roasted Fennel & Beluga Lentil Risotto
Mourvedre Emulsion, Fennel Fronds
Serves 4
Carpaccio
6 ounces Wagyu Top Sirloin, cleaned of all connective tissue
ground Telecherry Pepper
Black Cyprus sea salt
Risotto
2 large fennel bulbs, trim stalks reserving some of the tender fronds, cut bulb in half
4 medium cloves garlic, sliced paper thin
2 tablespoons green olive oil
1/2 cup black Beluga lentils
2 cups vegetable stock
4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Emulsion
1 bottle Mourvedre wine
1/2 cup wild honey
few Telecherry peppercorns
fennel stalk scrap from above
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 cup hazelnut oil
Chive Oil
1/2 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup green olive oil
To Make the Carpaccio:
Coat the Top Sirloin with Telecherry Pepper and sea salt. In a non stick skillet over high heat, moisten with a few drops of olive oil. Add the Top Sirloin to sear all of the sides to a fix the seasonings, while keeping the beef almost raw. Remove from the heat and transfer to the freezer, until quite solid and you are ready to serve.
To Make the Risotto:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Lay a large sheet of aluminum foil shiny side up on your counter top. Place the trimmed fennel bulbs in the center of one half of the foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Fold the other half of the foil over the fennel, crimping the edges to seal. Place the foil package on a sheet pan and transfer to the top rack of the oven, cooking until tender about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to handle. Remove from the foil with the juices and cut into fine dice, about the size of rice grains. Reserve.
While the fennel is roasting, prepare the emulsion. In a large saucepan over high heat, add the wine, honey, few peppercorns and fennel stalks. Bring to a boil and reduce until thickened to sauce consistency, coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and strain into a blender.
Add 1/2 cup of the roasted fennel and 1 tablespoon of mustard, pureeing until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the hazelnut oil until emulsified, Adjust the seasoning and the consistency with a little splash of wine as necssary. Reserve.
In the blender combine the chives and white wine, pureeing until smooth. Add the olive oil pureeing until smooth. Add a little salt to taste. Reserve.
To finish the Risotto:
In a large non stick skillet over low heat, add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the sliced garlic cooking until translucent and tender but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the lentils coating with the garlic oil. Add the vegetable stock and raise to medium high heat. Season well. Cook the lentils until al dente, solid but tender to the bite, about 10 minutes. Add the diced roasted fennel and juices, cooking to combine the flavors, about 2 minutes. Adjust the risotto like texture with a splash of wine as necessary and season well. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan.
Spoon the risotto to the center of hot serving coupe plates. On a slicer cut the Top Sirloin across the grain into paper thin slices, laying across the surface of the risotto to warm. Artistically drizzle the Mourvedre emulsion and chive oil across and around the risotto. Top with a frond of fennel and serve.
© Jimmy Schmidt
