Bone Marrow w/ Pickled Shallot & Parsley Salsa
Cook Time: ~30 mins
This dish is a light bite that demonstrates the interplay of fat and acid. The bone marrow delivers an indulgent, buttery mouthfeel that coats the palate— balanced by the sharp vinegary tang of pickled shallots. Capers add briny pops of salinity, while fresh parsley lends a herbaceous lift.
Serves: 2
Prep: ~10 minutes
Cook: ~15 minutes
Ingredients
Bone marrow (6-8 big pieces)
Sourdough bread
Lemon (x1)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & black pepper
Pickled Shallot & Parsley Salsa
Flat leaf parsley (25g)
Red wine vinegar (120ml or 1/2 cup)
Water (120ml or 1/2 cup)
White sugar (2 tbsp)
Salt (1 tsp)
Capers (2 tbsp)
Shallot (x2)
Notes
Bread: I used gluten-free tiger bread here, but sourdough is the best bread to use, hands down.
Equipment
Mixing bowls
Small pot
Grill pan
Mise En Place
Season the bone marrow with olive oil, salt and pepper, and lay marrow-side up on a baking tray.
Peel and slice the shallots finely.
Add the red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and water, to a pot, mix well, and bring to a boil. Let simmer for a minute or so, and decant into a bowl with the sliced shallots to cool down for ~20 minutes— stirring occasionally. Once cool, season to taste.
Pick the leaves of the parsley and decant into a bowl alongside the capers.
The Cook
Preheat the oven to 220°C and place the tray of marrow on a middle shelf and cook for 15 to 20 minutes— until soft.
While that cooks, drizzle olive oil over the bread and place it onto a grill pan or grill oven and cook to your preference (I like crispy).
Once cooled, spoon your pickled shallots into the parsley and caper salad. Mix well, add a little pickle juice and keep tasting— applying additional seasoning or pickle juice where necessary.
To serve, add a few bone marrow, some toasted bread, and a generous amount of pickled salsa, with a wedge of lemon. The perfect way to eat this is to scoop a mixture of the marrow and salsa onto a slice of bread and go to town.
If you attempt this dish, let me know how it goes, and if you variate the recipe in any way. This newsletter relies upon word of mouth, so if you know someone who would enjoy this recipe please share it.
Thanks for reading,
Conor