Meat market
Anthony Puharich and Colin Fassnidge toast their success in combining high and low, using ‘posh’ ingredients – caramelised onion, prosciutto, chicken livers – in a crowd favourite: the jaffle.
Bite into the world’s poshest jaffle.
C: You do a great charcuterie board. A: I’m very proud of it. C: It’s like my colcannon. A: Oh, here we go with the colcannon! Good news is, the quality of cured meats in this country has improved massively. Really, these days you can get everything you need for a great charcuterie board from your local butcher or even the supermarket: cured meats, cheeses, terrines, parfait, rillettes.
C: You just want a selection of textures. What’s that Aussie cured meat I like? A: Kurobuta. C: That’s it – costs a bit, but it’s amazing. But you don’t need to spend a fortune. I buy the best cheeses for my restaurants, but sometimes I just want that cheap cheese from my childhood.
A: Yeah. We’ve all matured with our tastes – we’ve come a long way. But what’s wrong with cabanossi? C: Nothing. Cabanossi is cool. A: I agree! There’s nothing wrong with the ‘80s! But I guess charcuterie is the new cabanossi, and when you’ve thrown a party, you have odds and ends the next day that work in your recipe here.
C: That’s right. This is the perfect way to use up leftover parfait and prosciutto – any charcuterie, really. It also doubles as a bit of a hangover cure. A: Sounds right up my alley. C: This is a recipe I used to have at 4Fourteen. I make caramelised onions, add sherry vinegar at the end so they’re really sharp. I spread these onto thick slices of white bread and top them with a layer of Victor Churchill parfait. Which I spread liberally… A: Thank you! C: Then a layer of prosciutto. Then – very controversial – I would sear some chicken livers, slice them and put them in. That might never make the article though, because [ delicious. food director] Phoebe Wood might have a conniption.
Note from Phoebe: No livers, Fassnidge! A: I have put the prosciutto on the outside of a jaffle before and it goes really nice and crisp.
C: Yes, but if you hang on, we are going to sandwich our filling, then butter the bread on the outside. Then put a sage leaf on top of each sandwich. A: Ah, so the sage goes crisp? C: Yes! It’s the ‘ Victor Churchill and Target’ recipe: high meets low.
A: It’s a world first. I’m following in the footsteps of Victoria Beckham. It’s a collaboration!
C: It’s the Gucci of sandwiches.
CHICKEN PARFAIT, SAGE & CARAMELISED ONION JAFFLE MAKES 4
8 x 2cm-thick slices white bread 120g store-bought chicken liver parfait,
cut into 4 even slices 12 thin slices prosciutto 4 sage leaves
CARAMELISED ONIONS
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil 60g unsalted butter, plus extra 50g softened 4 onions, thinly sliced 1/4 bunch thyme, leaves picked 1/4 cup (60ml) sherry vinegar 1/4 firmly packed cup (60g) brown sugar
For caramelised onions, heat oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add onion and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until onion is caramelised. Add vinegar and sugar, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until reduced slightly. Remove from heat.
To assemble jaffles, place half the bread on a clean work surface. Spread 1 tbs caramelised onion onto each slice and top with parfait and prosciutto, then top with remaining bread. (Store remaining caramelised onion, covered and chilled, for up to 2 weeks for another use, such as on burgers and with grilled meats.)
Preheat a jaffle machine. Spread extra butter on the outside of each sandwich, then press a sage leaf on the top of each. In 2 batches, place sandwiches in jaffle machine, close the lid and toast for 4 minutes or until golden. Cut in half to serve.