Quail poached in stock with squash, pak choi and shimeji

Method

For the quail, mix the soy and water with the coriander, lemon zest and garlic. Prep the quail by taking the legs off and vac with the marinated for 4 hours

To make the master stock, you take the base stock which is made and refreshed over 4 weeks and refresh with the roasted quail legs and trimmings. Once simmered infuse with dried shitake mushrooms. Pass and reserve for service

For the butternut squash fondants cook in foaming butter until soft. With all the trim of the squash cook down in a little butter and remove as much as the water as you can and blitz with lime juice and a little more butter.

Toast the nibbed almonds in buerre noisette and strain, reserve. Puff the wild rice in oil at 220 degrees. Once the wild rice is cool chop through and mix with the almonds to make a crumb.

Remove the quail crown from the marinade and poach in the master stock for 4 minutes. Pass the master stock of and reduce by half finish with Kikkoman’s soy sauce and a little mirin. Reserve to one side

For the service:

Roast the quail in the pan, to get nice even colour, rest.

While the bird rests finish the fondants in some foaming butter and a little lime zest.

Cook the shimeji mushrooms in a little butter and finish with lemon juice. Poach the pak choi in some emulsion for 20 seconds.

To finish place the fondant in the middle of the bowl and the mushrooms around then put 5 dots of puree around the outside. Place the little leaves of pak choi around the outside. Once the breast is carved place in the crumb to evenly cover each breast and lay them in the center of the plate over the fondant. Pass the reduced master stock through muslin cloth and serve on the side.