The humble Chef Roy McVeigh doesn’t really like to put labels on his style of cooking. What we can tell you is that it’s contemporary and Australian and based on harmonising layers of salt, sour, bitter, sweet and umami.
We can also vouch that his food is foraged, gardened, curated and fresh. Learning to make his hay ash is just one way to connect. Eating at his restaurant Dragoncello, Surry Hills is another.
Ballantine
1 Chicken Maryland per person
METHOD
1 Debone chicken leg (reserve bone for stock)
2 Season generously with salt and pepper
3 Roll in cling wrap into a cylinder
4 Cook in a water bath at 62 degrees for 16 hours
Hay gel
Get a generous handful of hay
Milk to cover
1 % agar
Salt
METHOD
1 Pre heat oven to 160 degrees
2 Toast hay till golden brown about 1 hour
3 Turning every 15 min
4 Reserve some for hay for ash
5 Put some in a pot cover with milk and bring to the boil
6 Strain measure it
7 Put it in a pot with 1 % agar bring to the boil
8 Set in the fridge
9 When firm blend to a gel
10 Season with salt
Hay ash
1 Blend reserved hay in spice grinder
Jerez sauce
2 brown onions
2 shallots
2 garlic cloves
325ml Pedro Ximenez
130ml Madeira
300ml red wine
4 litres brown chicken stock
70ml chicken fat
METHOD
1 Slice onion shallot and garlic
2 Sautee in a little oil
3 Add Pedro Ximenez and reduce to a glaze
4 Add Madeira and reduce to a glaze
5 Add red wine reduce to a glaze
6 Add stock and reduce by 80%
7 Split with chicken fat
Garnishes
2 each pickled onion
1 each shitake mushroom grilled
METHOD
1 Brown chicken and carve
2 Add hay gel garnishes
3 Sauce and ash
The Carousel thanks Dragoncello for this recipe.
