Pan Roasted Ostrich with Crispy Sweetbreads, Salsify Puree, Potato Puree, Oven-Dried Tomatoes, Pencil Asparagus, Enoki Mushrooms, and Glace Des Medoc Recipe

Pan-Seared Ostrich with Golden Sweetbreads, Salsify Sauce, Potato Cream, Baked Tomatoes, Young Asparagus, Enoki Mushrooms, and Mdoc Wine Glaze

Recipe by Steven Roginski

• Difficulty: Advanced
• Servings: 4
• Total Time: 3 hours, 50 minutes
• Preparation: 1 hour, 15 minutes
• Cooking: 2 hours, 35 minutes

Ingredients

Sweetbreads:

• 1 lb sweetbreads
• 1 gallon court bouillon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• Juice of 1 lemon

Salsify Sauce:

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 8 fresh salsify roots
• 1 cup heavy cream, warmed
• 1/2 lb butter, melted and kept warm

Potato Cream:

• 2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, warmed
• 1/4 lb butter, melted and warm

Baked Tomatoes:

• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 23 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Mdoc Wine Glaze:

• 1/4 lb unsalted butter, divided
• 3 shallots, finely sliced
• 3 cups Mdoc red wine
• 1 quart veal stock

Ostrich:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• Four ostrich steaks (8 oz each)
• Spinach, cooked, for serving
• Asparagus spears, blanched
• Enoki mushrooms, sauted

Instructions

Sweetbreads:

1. Gently simmer the court bouillon in a saucepan. Add sweetbreads and poach about 9 minutes. Remove and discard the cooking liquid. Cool the sweetbreads between two trays to room temperature, remove membranes, and break into bite-sized pieces.
2. Just before serving, toss sweetbreads with flour, shaking off excess. In a hot skillet, melt butter, add sweetbreads, and cook until crisp and golden. Squeeze lemon juice to deglaze and keep warm.

Salsify Sauce:

1. Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer and add lemon juice. Peel salsify and place in the acidified water; cook until very tender. Drain and transfer to a food processor. Add warm cream and melted butter, then blend until silky. Keep warm for plating.

Potato Cream:

1. Simmer potatoes in water until tender. Drain and press through a ricer. In a bowl, whip potatoes with hot cream and melted butter until smooth. Keep warm.

Baked Tomatoes:

1. Preheat oven to 275F (135C).
2. Slice Roma tomatoes into 1/4-inch rounds and toss gently with olive oil. Arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray and bake 1 hours until partially dried. Set aside.

Mdoc Wine Glaze:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter and saut shallots until they begin to caramelize. Add the wine and reduce, scraping browned bits, until syrupy. Stir in veal stock and simmer to a sauce consistency. Whisk in remaining butter, adding pieces one at a time until incorporated. Keep warm.

Ostrich:

1. In a wide skillet over medium-high heat, combine oil and butter. Season ostrich steaks with salt and pepper. When the pan is hot, quickly sear steaks on both sides to medium doneness; ostrich cooks fast and should not be overdone. Rest steaks and keep warm; sear in batches if necessary for a good crust.

To Assemble:

1. Use a 2-inch ring mold to stack layers of potato, spinach, and tomato. Place a smooth oval of potato cream on top and finish with another tomato slice. Draw a line of salsify sauce on each plate as an accent.
2. Thinly slice the ostrich on a sharp angle and arrange beside the potato stack.
3. Add crispy sweetbreads, asparagus spears, and sauted enoki mushrooms around the plate. Spoon the Mdoc wine reduction around the arrangement for a polished finish.

This recipe is shared by a professional chef and may require adaptation for home cooking.