Mock Iberian Ham Tapioca

By corlear

Ingredients

• For the Iberian ham stock:
• 3 Iberian ham bones (83/4 lb)
• 23/4 quarts water
• For the mock Iberian ham tapioca:
• 21/2 cup ham stock (see previous step)
• 1 tsp powdered agar-agar
• For the potato purée with virgin olive oil:
• 6 oz mashing potato
• 1 tbsp single cream (35% fat)
• 1/4 cup potato stock
• 1/2 cup virgin olive oil
• For the boiled ham and watercress salad:
• 2 oz watercress
• 2 oz spinach sprouts
• 4 oz boiled ham
• To finish:
• 1/4 cup virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup ham stock (see previous step)

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

For the Iberian ham stock:
1. Remove the rancid parts, the rind and the trotters. Make use of the joint to cut into 2 pieces.
2. Blanche the bones and drain. Cover with 3 liters of water. Cook over a medium heat for 3 hours. Skim off any scum and fat.
3. Drain, cool in the fridge and scrape off any fat that forms on the surface.
4. Reduce the stock to 3¾ cup depending on how salty it is.

For the mock Iberian ham tapioca:
1. Mix the Iberian ham stock with the agar-agar in a pan. Stirring continuously, bring to boil . Remove from the heat and whisk.
2. Pour a ¾" thick layer into a dish. Keep in the fridge for 3 hours.
3. Use a ¼" scoop to make balls out of the gelatin. Allow 1½ oz per person.

For the potato purée with virgin olive oil:
1. Peel the potatoes and chop them up into uneven pieces. Place in cold water in a pan and bring to the boil.
2. Drain and sieve.
3. Use a whisk to add enough warm cream and potato stock for a smooth texture and then add approximately 150 - 1 cup of virgin olive oil. Do not add all the oil unless you are going to serve it immediately, as it will split due to the high fat content. Add the rest of the oil before you serve it.
4. Season with salt.

For the boiled ham and watercress salad:
1. Choose the young watercress and spinach leaves.
2. Use the meat slicer to cut 12 slices of boiled ham (approx. 1/20").

Final Steps & Preparation:
1. Heat the mock tapioca in ½ cup of ham stock to 140ºF.
2. Arrange three small piles of the raw watercress and sautéed spinach leaves in a dish. Add a slice of boiled ham to each pile, heaping them up as much as possible. Heat the dish in the salamandra.
3. Put two spoonfuls of mock tapioca with a tiny amount of stock in the center of the plate.
4. Place three small spoonfuls of hot potato purée with olive in between the piles of spinach.
5. Dress the whole dish with virgin olive oil.