The flavors and colors of this dish make for a delicious fall presentation.
Ingredients
- 4 - 8 ounce ostrich fillets
- 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 cups purslane, fresh picked
- 1 lemon, for juicing
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon creamy honey
- 4 apples, cored and peeled
- 2 cups apple cider vinega
- 2 cups brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 cup finely diced onions
- 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins or a combination
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon mustard seed
- 2 teaspoons mild curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 1/4 pounds carrots, cut into 1-inch lengths
- 5 large garlic cloves, halved
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
Instructions
TO PREPARE THE OSTRICH FILLETS
Preheat cast iron pan or skillet until very hot. Add olive oil. Season ostrich fillets with sea salt and black pepper. Sear over medium high heat, 2 minutes per side or until desired doneness (medium rare is recommended).
TO PREPARE THE PURSLANE SALAD
Pick and clean purslane. In separate bowl, mix juice of lemon, sherry vinegar and creamy honey. Gently toss purslane in lemon/ honey mixture.
TO PREPARE THE SPICED APPLE CHUTNEY
Pour the vinegar into a large saucepan. Dice the apples, adding them to the pot as you go to prevent browning. Add the brown sugar, onions, cranberries, ginger and garlic, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the mustard seed, curry powder, allspice, and salt, and simmer 15 minutes longer.
TO PREPARE THE CARROT FLAN
Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 10-inch glass pie plate and sprinkle it lightly with Parmesan cheese.
In a large saucepan, steam the carrots and garlic until very tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer the carrots and garlic to a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour in the heavy cream and milk and process to blend. Add the eggs, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and process the mixture until thoroughly blended.
Pour the flan mixture into the prepared pie plate. Set the pie plate in a shallow roasting pan and add enough hot water to the pan to reach halfway up the side of the pie plate. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the flan is just set.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the melted butter, thyme and the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Season the thyme crumbs with salt and pepper.
Remove the flan from the water bath. Preheat the broiler. Sprinkle the flan with the thyme crumbs and broil for 30 seconds, or until golden brown. Cut into 4–6 wedges and serve warm.
Note: Make ahead. The flan can be assembled and refrigerated for 4 hours. Bring to room temperature before baking.
By Ben Del Coro, Corporate Chef, Fossil Farms
