Roast Sturgeon with Veal Cheeks, Chanterelles, and Foie Gras Fumet

1/2 pound dried cannellini beans
3 quarts chicken stock
4 veal cheeks
1 cup white wine
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 sticks celery, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tablespoon dried)
1/2 pound golden chanterelles
8 tablespoons (1/4 pound) butter
1/4 pound foie gras terrine or paté
1 pound sturgeon filet, cut into four pieces
4 tablespoons light vegetable oil

Prepare the beans: Rinse and pick over the dried beans. Soak in cold water for 24 hours. Drain and place in a saucepan with 1 quart of the chicken stock. Cook over low heat for about 1 hour, or until the beans are tender. Add salt to taste. Allow to cool.

Prepare the veal cheeks: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in an oven-proof braising pan. Sear the cheeks on both sides. Add the chopped onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Pour in the wine and a second quart of the chicken stock. Add the bay leaf and thyme and salt and pepper. Cover and cook in the oven for two to three hours, until the cheeks are very tender.

Prepare the chanterelles: Brush any dirt or leaves off the mushrooms. If the chanterelles are large, cut into bite-size pieces. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a sauté pan. Cook the chanterelles in the butter over medium heat until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Prepare the foie gras fumet: Bring the remaining quart of chicken stock to a boil. Whisk in the foie gras terrine until smooth. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter until well blended. (The fumet will have the texture of a soup, rather than a thick sauce.) Keep the fumet warm.

Prepare the sturgeon: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Salt and pepper the sturgeon pieces. Heat the vegetable oil in an oven-proof sauté pan. Sear the sturgeon on both sides. Roast in the oven for 3 minutes.

To assemble the dish: Reheat the beans and the veal cheeks in their cooking liquid. Place a large spoonful of beans in each of four warmed bowls. Slice the sturgeon and place on top of the beans. Slice the veal cheeks and arrange them beside the sturgeon. Sprinkle the chanterelles over the top. Pour the hot fumet around the meats and serve.

David Hayden, Chef - Avenues at The Peninsula Chicago
108 East Superior Street
Chicago, IL 60611
312.573.6754
www.peninsula.com

The Chef
With its exhibition kitchen, elegant wine displays, and glittering views across Water Tower Park, Avenues at The Peninsula Chicago is an ideal showcase for the culinary talents of Chef de cuisine David Hayden. A native of Dublin, Ireland, he first fell in love with cooking in his grandmother's kitchen. By the age of 21 he was working at the acclaimed Chez Nico's in London. But his goal was to cook in the United States, and after a stint at Tru in Chicago he took the helm at The Peninsula Chicago's fine-dining restaurant. Avenues' focus is seafood, and the 27-year-old chef's innovative cooking has won critical plaudits. "It's not that [his] juxtapositions merely work," Chicago Magazine recently reported. "They release new flavors with the force of a cannonball."

The Menu
To pair with the 2000 FAY Cabernet Sauvignon, Chef Hayden proposes a surprising combination: sturgeon and veal, with creamy cannellini beans and a topping of golden chanterelles. Topped with a foie gras fumet, the dish is more like a hearty soup or stew than a conventional roast and makes a wonderfully luxurious meal for a winter night.

The Pairing
Conventional wisdom pairs Cabernet and red meats, but Chef Hayden finds that the meaty texture and flavor of sturgeon make it an excellent accompaniment to the FAY. "The wine is brilliant," he says. "There's a lot to work with. The berry and cherry notes balance the richness of the dish, and there's a smoky quality that goes beautifully with the meat flavors of the foie gras and veal."