Green Eggs and Ham
Ingredients
4 Duck eggs
454 g Frozen peas, individually quick-frozen
500 g Ham, fresh
- Canola oil, or other frying oil, as needed
- Salt, fine, as needed
- Black pepper, as needed
Equipment
Sous vide setup (optional)
Ziplock-style bag (1 gallon) x 2
Blender
Fine-mesh sieve
Microwave
Deep-frying setup
Cook duck eggs
Place duck eggs in a ziplock-style bag with a small amount of water. Cook at 145 °F / 63 °C for about 50 minutes. Much less, and the yolk won’t quite set. Much more than about 90 minutes, and the yolk will become quite thick.
NOTE:
Using a bag makes it easier to add and remove all of the eggs from the water quickly, and adding a little water to the bag will help fill air gaps between the eggs, making it easier to get the package to sink.
Purée peas
Thaw the individually quick-frozen (IQF) peas by submerging them in cool water for five minutes.
Strain the peas, and add them to a blender with a small amount of water. Add additional water as needed to get the peas flowing. Blend to a smooth purée.
TIP:
Do not add salt, which will discolour the peas. Season the purée only at the last minute before serving.
Strain purée
Pass the purée through a fine-mesh sieve or a chinois strainer.
TIP:
If not serving immediately, you can vacuum-package the purée and keep it refrigerated or frozen until needed.
Slice ham
Slice off four thick slices of ham by cutting across the grain. Reserve these for later.
Slice the remaining ham very thin in the direction of the muscle fibres. You’ll be pulling these slices apart to prepare the crispy strands.
Microwave the thin ham slices
Lay the thin slices of ham in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate.
Microwave the slices on high in 30-second bursts. Turn the slices over between cycles. Repeat a total of about six times, or until the ham slices feel very dry.
Make crispy strands
Pull each dried slice of ham into individual fibres. Separate the thick strands into fine strands.
TIP:
If the strands aren’t coming apart easily, lightly pound the thick stands with a mallet or pestle to loosen the fibres.
Deep-fry the strands
In a deep-fryer or pot, heat frying oil to 351 °F / 177 °C. Deep-fry the ham strands until golden. Stir the strands while they fry; this will help prevent clumping.
Strain from the deep-fryer, and blot away the excess oil with paper towel.
Store in an airtight container until needed.
Warm thick ham slices
About five minutes before you’re ready to serve, place the thick ham slices in a ziplock-style bag and start warming them at 145 °F / 63 °C. (You can just throw them in with the eggs.) After two minutes, remove the ham and eggs from the water.
Plate and serve!
In a pot on the stove, heat the pea purée until very warm (about 149 °F / 65 °C). Season with fine salt to taste.
Place a dollop of pea purée at the center of each plate. Place a warm slice of ham on top of the purée, and press it lightly to flatten.
Crack open each egg, and tilt it out onto a dollop of pea purée.
Season with salt and pepper.
Garnish each plate with a small bundle of crispy ham strands.
https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/green-eggs-and-ham