Chef de Cuisine Curtis Duffy, Avenues, The Peninsula Chicago.

This recipe is served with toasted wheat, red wine, saffron curd and nasturtium pudding. Yield: 6 servings.

Toasted Wheat:

300 g bulgur wheat, toasted

600 g water

pinch of saffron

to taste, salt

6 g olive oil

Saffron Curd:

750 g milk, skim

750 g cream

22 g salt

8 g sugar

1 g saffron

20 g carrageenan LP-41

Nasturtium Pudding:

250 g milk

250 g cream

6 g agar

200 g nasturtium leaves

to taste, salt

20 g olive oil

Red Wine Reduction Pudding Base:

60 g olive oil

60 g ginger

400 g red pepper

60 g garlic

1100 g onions

1400 g fennel

500 g carrots

200 g celery

700 g Granny Smith apples

400 g whole oranges

4000 g red wine

2000 g port

Pudding:

1.5 g agar

100 g red wine base

Poussin:

3 whole poussin (spring chickens)

For toasted wheat: Place the wheat, water, saffron, oil and salt into a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Low simmer until liquid is absorbed and wheat is tender (not mushy or soft, but with a nice bite). Turn out onto a sheet to cool.

Saffron curd: Combine milk, cream, salt, sugar and saffron and bring to a simmer. remove from heat; steep for 30 minutes. Strain and shear in the carrageenan. Heat mixture to low boil while stirring constantly with rubber spatula. (Note: mixture burns easily.) Once mixture has boiled, strain into prepared pan and cover immediately so no skin is formed. Do not move pan. Once mixture has reached room temperature, cover with plastic and chill in refrigerator.

For nasturtium pudding: Bring milk, cream, agar and salt to boil; simmer until agar is cooked out. Place nasturitum leaves into hotel pan. Pour hot dairy mixture over nasturtium leaves to “blanch.” Chill mixture very quickly. Once mixture is set, place into blender and blend until smooth. Drizzle in olive oil and strain. Place in squeeze bottle and reserve.

Red wine reduction pudding: Chop and sweat all vegetables (not apples and oranges) in oil (do not caramelize). Add apple, oranges and all the alcohol. Simmer for one hour. Strain and continue to reduce until flavor is developed.

For pudding: Combine agar and red wine base; simmer for 5 minutes. Strain and chill until set. Blend until very smooth. Place into squeeze bottle.

For chicken: Remove the breasts; season with sea salt. Reserve rest of chicken for other use. Place into vacuum pack pouch with a little olive oil and seal. Poach breasts in water bath at 142°F for 22 minutes. Remove from water bath and let rest for 15 minutes.

To assemble: Spoon small amount of wheat onto center of plate. Remove chicken from bag; slice into thin pieces. Place on top of wheat. Using squeeze bottles of puree, add red wine pudding and nasturtium puree to plate. Place saffron curd onto dish and garnish with nasturtium leaves. Serve immediately.