Name: Duck egg yolk, smoked sweetcorn, pickled onions and duck fat brioche soldiers
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Ingredients: 1 fresh corn on the cob; 2 handfuls of hay, for smoking the corn; 1 knob of butter; Maldon salt to season; 6 duck eggs; 500g of sweetcorn kernels; 300g of double cream; 200g of unsalted butter; Maldon salt to season; 6 baby onions; 300g of white wine; 300g of cider vinegar; 300g of water; 300g of caster sugar; 3g of Maldon salt; 1 unsweetened brioche , (whole loaf, unsliced); 100g of duck fat; Maldon salt to season; 18 nasturtium leaves, (choose small leaves)

Starter
Easy
6
2 hours 30 minutes

PT2H30M

This is Steven Edwards' take on a breakfast classic: a slow cooked egg yolk is served with smoked and puréed sweetcorn, pickled onion petals and duck-fat toasted brioche fingers. If you don't have a sous vide, serve this with a poached duck egg instead.

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Smoked sweetcorn

1 fresh corn on the cob
2 handfuls of hay, for smoking the corn
1 knob of butter
Maldon salt to season

Slow cooked duck egg yolk

6 duck eggs

Sweetcorn purèe

500g of sweetcorn kernels
300g of double cream
200g of unsalted butter
Maldon salt to season

Pickled onions

6 baby onions
300g of white wine
300g of cider vinegar
300g of water
300g of caster sugar
3g of Maldon salt

Brioche fingers

1 unsweetened brioche , (whole loaf, unsliced)
100g of duck fat
Maldon salt to season

Garnish

18 nasturtium leaves , (choose small leaves)

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Sous vide or water bath
Blender
Fine sieve

To make the smoked sweetcorn, peel the husk from the corn cob and brush it down to get rid of any corn strings. Place the hay into a deep tray and set the corn on top. Move outside and set fire to the hay, then cover with foil. Leave to smoke for 2 hours

1 fresh corn on the cob
2 handfuls of hay, for smoking the corn

Heat a sous vide machine to 62°C

Add the duck eggs, then bring the temperature back to to 62°C and cook for 1 hour before reducing the temperature to 60°C - the eggs can be held at this temperature

6 duck eggs

For the pickled onions, peel the small onions and cut in half, leaving the root intact

6 baby onions

Combine all the ingredients for the pickling liquor in a saucepan and bring to a simmer

300g of caster sugar
300g of water
300g of cider vinegar
300g of white wine
3g of Maldon salt

Add the peeled onions and cook for 3-5 minutes depending on size

Leave to cool in the liquor before breaking down the onions into shells/petals by separating the layers

Make the sweetcorn puree by cooking the sweetcorn gently in the cream and butter for about 30 minutes until soft and overcooked

500g of sweetcorn kernels
300g of double cream
200g of unsalted butter

Transfer the sweetcorn and some of the cooking liquor to a blender, season with salt and blitz for 2-3 minutes on full power until smooth

Adjust the seasoning with salt and the consistency with the cream and butter mix if necessary before passing through a fine sieve

Maldon salt to season

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4

For the duck fat brioche, slice the brioche in to 6 large fingers

1 unsweetened brioche , (whole loaf, unsliced)

Generously brush the brioche with the duck fat and season with salt. Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until golden

100g of duck fat
Maldon salt to season

Remove the corn from the cob by slicing down the edges with a sharp knife, then transfer the corn to a saucepan with the butter and a splash of water, and heat gently for 2-3 minutes, or until the corn is cooked. Season with salt

1 knob of butter
Maldon salt to season

Divide the purèe between 6 plates, crack open the duck eggs and discard the whites, serving the yolks on top

Season with salt before adding the pickled onion shells and smoked sweetcorn, and serving the duck fat brioche finger on the side. Garnish with the nasturtium leaves

18 nasturtium leaves , (choose small leaves)

Discover more:

Steven Edwards

One of the youngest winners in MasterChef: The Professionals history, Steven Edwards is a chef bursting with both ambition and creativity. This is clear for all to see at his restaurant etch. in Hove, where his accomplished, modern British cookery has won him numerous accolades.