Directions:

For Black Garlic Farrow - Peel and rough chop the carrots, celery, and onions. Chop the fennel stalks. Add carrot, celery, onion, fennel, mushrooms, garlic, rosemary, bay leaf, peppercorns, and cold water to a large stock pot to make a vegetable stock. Bring water to a boil over high heat then reduce the temperature to a simmer. Allow the pot to simmer for one hour. Strain vegetables from the stock and reserve the stock for later use. Mince the shallots. Peel the cloves of black garlic and mince them. In a braising pan, deep sauté pan, or stock pot sweat the shallots in vegetable oil on medium heat until they are translucent. Add the farrow to the pan and sauté for about a minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (or heat resistant rubber spatula if a wooden spoon is unavailable) for about a minute. Add the black garlic and one cup of the vegetable stock to the farrow. Stir the farrow continuously with the rubber spoon until the stock has been absorbed by the farrow. Add another cup of stock to the farrow and stir. Continue this process of adding of adding one cup of stock at a time, while stirring until the stock is absorbed and the farrow is fully cooked, tender, and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Hold the farrow for service.

For Pickled Apple - Core and julienne the apples into a fine matchstick thickness. Combine tarragon, sugar, vinegar, and water in a small bowl. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, using a pairing knife. Submerge the julienne apples and vanilla bean into the pickling liquid. Reserve apples in the refrigerator for later.

For Roast Fennel - Slice the stalks and root ball from the fennel bulb. Cut the fennel into quartered wedges. Brush the fennel with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the fennel in a 350F oven. Roast the fennel until it is well caramelized and tender. The fennel is finished roasting when a pairing knife can easily pierce and be removed from the fennel.

For Blood Orange Reduction - Juice the blood oranges and strain the pulp from the juice using a fine mesh or boulion strainer. Add juice and sugar to a saute’ pan and reduce over medium hear until juice thickens. Be sure not to over reduce and burn the sugar. Reserve reduction for service

For Service
Pack the farrow risotto into a ring mold. Use a spoon to artfully distribute blood orange reduction. Place a roast fennel wedge over the blood orange reduction. Carefully remove the ring mold from around the farrow. Garnish with the pickled apple and a feathery leaf from the fennel stalk. This recipe serves four people.

Ingredients:

For Black Garlic Farrow
2 each Carrots
3 stalks Celery
2 each Yellow Onion
2 each Fennel Stalks
10 each Button Mushrooms
20 each Garlic Cloves
2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
4 each Bay Leafs
8 each Whole Black Peppercorns
1 gallon Cold Water
2 Tbs Vegetable Oil
1 each Shallot, peeled
6 each Black Garlic Cloves
2 Cups Farrow
Salt & Pepper to taste

For Pickled Apple
4 each Granny Smith Apples
1 Tbs Fresh Tarragon, minced
½ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
¼ Cup Sugar
½ each Vanilla Bean
2 Cups Water

For Roast Fennel
1 each Fennel Bulb
1 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

For Blood Orange Reduction
4 each Blood Oranges
2Tbs Sugar