Brisket Confit Ravioli
Serves 6
FOR THE CONFIT BRISKET
1kg trimmed brisket,( buying our meat from Richard we do not have to trim or clean the meat, from other butchers this may not be the case) cut into thick strips
1 head of organic garlic, peeled
10g white pepper, freshly and coarsely ground
10g sea salt
herbs like parsley, thyme and bay
100ml brandy
1kg lard, melted
EV olive oil
METHOD
Put the brisket, garlic, pepper, sea salt and herbs into a boal. Add the brandy and toss over, cover ad refrigerate for at least 5 hours. Put a little of the lard in the bottom of a saucepan and them add everything from the bowl. Add the lard and cover with enough oil to just cover the meat. Cover with a piece of baking paper and weight under the fat / oil. Taste you may need to add more salt and pepper, but we like to add fresh salt and pepper when we use the confit. Pack the confit tightly into a container, pushing the meat under the fat / oil, cover and refrigerate. The confit will keep indefinitely refrigerated.
FOR THE PASTA DOUGH
300g plain flour
5g fine salt
20ml EV olive oil
3 COLD extra large eggs (61g)
2 COLD extra large egg yolks (61g)
METHOD
Put everything into the bowl of an electric mixer and using the k-beater work it on the lowest speed until it is smooth and comes away from the bowl cleanly.
FOR THE CELERY PUREE
1bunch of leaf celery
1 tablespoon of salt
100ml EV olive oil + 200ml
ice and cold water
fine salt
white pepper
METHOD
The stems are used for another purpose. Put on a pot of water and add the salt and oil. When it is at a good rolling boil, drop the leaves in a good handful at a time, push them under and lift them out with a skimmer into the iced water. When you have finished blanching the leaves, drain them and squeeze all the water from them. Puree them in a blender with a little EV olive oil.
FOR THE WEEDS
1 bunch lapsane, mallows, nettles or a mixture of all three
1 tablespoon of salt
150ml EV olive oil
METHOD
Pick the weeds over discarding any tough stems, wash them and chop them into 5cm pieces, but keep the stalks and leaves roughly separated. If you are using nettles, pluck the leaves and chop the stems.
Put on a large pot of water, add the salt and oil and bring it to a rapid boil. A chip basket that can be purchased at any commercial kitchen supplier is about the best $50 you can spend. Add the stalk ends first and when they are almost tender add the leaves. Cook just long enough that they are no longer raw to taste. Drain them, tip them out onto a tray and spread them in an even layer allowing them to cool.
FOR THE HARICOT BEANS
180g pearl haricot
salt
50ml EV olive oil
METHOD
Soak the beans in plenty of water overnight. Drain and cook, it is impossible to give an accurate cooking time for dried legumes. If they are new seasons and recently dried they will take less time, but if several years old they can take much longer. They need to be watched carefully, in boiling salted water until they are just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water, drain again and roll through the olive oil.
OTHER INGREDIENTS
1 egg yolk
1 medium red onion, peeled and very finely chopped
4 lemons, strained juice
white pepper
sea salt
EV olive oil
TO COMPLETE THE DISH
Fine chop half of the confit and sealing the ravioli with the egg yolk, make the pasta dough into ravioli. Separate the layers with baking paper. Cover with plastic and refrigerate. Fry the remaining confit in a little of the fat until it is crispy.
Put the red onion into the lemon juice and add a little olive oil.
Warm the crispy confit, weeds and celery sauce. Cook the ravioli in boiling salted water with oil. Drain them and toss them through the warmed confit and add a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Add a generous amount of oil and seasoning to the weeds, then add onion and lemon juice and toss over. Divide between the plates, pile the ravioli and confit on top and spoon the celery sauce around.
