Ingredients:

2/3 cups whey left from making the Ricotta cheese (recipe for Ricotta below)

1 each medium sized onion (thinly sliced)

1 each small carrot (peeled and thinly sliced)

2 each thyme sprigs

2 each garlic cloves

2 tbsp. salt

4 each black peppercorns

2 each skin-on chicken breasts (room temperature)

Preparation:

Place all ingredients except the chicken in a pot and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Add the raw chicken breasts to the now slightly cooled whey-poaching liquid. Return the liquid to the heat and on a low setting and begin to poach the chicken. The liquid should not boil only the most gentle of a simmer. Gently
poach the chicken breasts to an internal temperature of 155°f. Remove from the poaching liquid and cover loosely with foil and let rest for 8 -10 minutes before serving.

Smashed Baby Turnips

Ingredients:

2 each large turnips (peeled and cut into 2" dice)

2 qts. whole milk

1 each thyme sprigs

3 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tbsp. salt

Preparation:

Place turnips, milk, and thyme in a pot; cover the pot; set over medium-low heat; cook until tender. Strain turnips from milk; discard milk; place turnips in a bowl; add butter and salt; crush with a whisk until desired consistency has been reached.

Chicken Consommé

Ingredients:

3 lbs. Chicken meat (white only, roughly chopped)

1 gallon chicken stock (recipe below)

9 each egg whites (large eggs)

1 each small carrot (peeled roughly chopped)

1 each small tomato (roughly chopped)

3 each thyme sprigs

1/2 each black truffles (finely chopped)

Preparation:

In a medium food processor, combine chicken meat, egg whites, carrot, thyme and tomato. Pulse until thoroughly combined. Add 2 cups of warm stock; pulse to combine. Add remaining 10 cups stock. Place over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a strong simmer and a solid mass has formed on top. There should be liquid and foam bubbling up around the edges. Do not stir once liquid has come to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, and cook for 45 minutes.

Remove from heat. Ladle only the clear liquid into a damp cheesecloth-lined sieve. Do not press down on solids; just allow the liquid to drip. If any particles remain in broth, strain again in the same manner. The consommé should be clear and have a tea like color. Adjust the seasoning with salt only.

Add chopped black truffles to the warm consommé once in the bowl.

Chicken Consommé

Ingredients:

5 lbs. chicken bones (including necks, backs and feet if possible)

1 each large onion (skin removed and quartered)

3 each medium sized carrots (peeled and cut into ½ inch thick rounds)

1 each medium sized celery root (peeled and ½-inch dice)

1 each leek (white only, washed, ½ inch rounds)

7 each thyme sprigs

10 each parsley stems

2 each fresh bay leaves

8 each whole black peppercorns

3 each garlic cloves (peeled)

3 gallons cold water

Preparation:

Thoroughly wash the chicken bones with cold water until the water from the bones runs clear.

Place chicken, vegetables, and herbs, spices and water in a stockpot large enough to handle the volume. Cook on high heat until you begin to see bubbles break through the surface of the liquid. Turn heat down to medium low so that stock maintains low, gentle simmer. It is very important that the stock not come to a rolling boil. Skim the scum from the stock regularly throughout the cooking process. Add hot water as needed to keep bones and vegetables submerged. Simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 hours.

Strain stock through a fine mesh strainer into another large stockpot or heatproof container discarding the solids. Cool immediately. Place in refrigerator overnight. Remove solidified fat from surface of liquid.

Ravioli Gnudi

Ingredients:

12 oz. fresh spinach

8 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese (drained) (recipe for Ricotta below)

1 each egg yolk

½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

3 tbsp. finely grated parmesan cheese for final preparation

½ cup "00" flour

¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1 each sstick of butter

To taste salt and black pepper

Preparation:

Cook fresh spinach in a large pot until wilted. Allow to cool; squeeze to remove water. (The drier the spinach the better for the gnudi). Chop spinach finely by hand. Mix together in a bowl with ricotta, egg yolk, grated parmesan, flour, nutmeg, and salt pepper to taste.

Form small dumplings with your hands, using about 2 teaspoons mixture per dumpling. Place gnudi on a floured surface.

Heat a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat; once the water is at a steady simmer, NOT a rolling boil, (the gnudi will break apart in boiling water) add the gnudi, in small batches, being careful not to crowd them and being careful that the water does not cool down too much. After gnudi float, cook 2-4 minutes more. Remove from water and transfer to a warm serving dish coated with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.

In a wide sauté pan, melt 1 stick salted butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted turn the heat up until the butter begins to brown and has a nutty smell. Toss the warm cooked gnudi in the browned butter. Toss gently until the gnudi turn slightly brown, toss with the 3 tablespoons of finely grated parmesan cheese.

Poached Mushrooms

1 lb. small white button mushrooms

1 qt. water

2 each garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)

1 each bay leaf

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. Kosher salt

Dressing for Mushrooms

3 tbsp. red wine vinegar

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. fresh basil (chopped)

Pinch white pepper

Pinch salt

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. chive (finely minced)

1 tsp. shallot (finely minced)

Preparation:

Wash mushrooms, remove stems, and set aside. In a deep saucepan, combine the water, bay leaf, lemon juice, garlic, and Kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Add mushrooms, bring to a rolling simmer and poach until the mushrooms are tender, approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pot, drain well on a paper towel lined cookie sheet. In a stainless steel bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, basil, shallots, chives, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat while the mushrooms are still warm.

Cows Milk Ricotta

8 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp. Kosher salt

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preparation:

To make the ricotta, place a colander inside a larger bowl, line the colander with cheesecloth, and set aside.

Slowly bring the milk, cream, and salt to simmer in a heavy 6-quart pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. When the milk begins to simmer (about 180°F to 200°F), add the lemon juice. Stir constantly until the mixture starts to curdle, about 4 more minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat. It is very important that you do not simmer the milk after the curds begin to separate or the curds will become dense and dry. Allow the curds to rest for 10 minutes.

Pour the milk mixture into the lined colander to strain. The milk will have already formed hard curds - ricotta cheese. It is ready to be used after 5 minutes because much more moisture will be extracted by further draining. Reserve the whey liquid for the chicken recipe above.