Llama Fillet
This dish is filled with South American ingredients: llama, quinoa, and the herb quiriquina. Look for these ingredients in Latin markets. Llama is a delicate meat, and Chef Germain says it is important not to overcook it. Veal may be substituted.
Ingredients
- Vegetables
- Eggplant - 3
- Garlic Clove - 4
- Olive Oil - 4 tablespoons
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Quinoa - 1-1/3 cup
- Carrots - 3 large, pared
- Leeks - 2, cleaned
- Large Onions - 2
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Milk - 1-1/2 cup
- Sauce
- Bones from 1 chicken
- Black peppercorns - 2 teaspoons
- Bay Leaves - 2
- Quiriquina - 2 sprigs
- Red Wine - 2 cups
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Boneless Llama Fillets - four, 6-ounce (alt. veal))
- Quiriquina or Sage - 4 sprigs
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Peel the eggplant and cut into small dice. Crush the garlic and mix with the eggplant, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a medium baking dish. Seal with foil and bake 10 to 20 minutes, until soft. Remove from heat and puree in a blender. Set aside.
Rinse the quinoa and drain. Cut half of the carrot, leek, and onion in very fine dice; reserve the remainder for the sauce. Put the diced vegetables in a medium saute pan or skillet and saute over medium heat until the vegetables are softened. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the quinoa and milk and cook until the quinoa has softened, about 30 minutes. Add more milk if necessary during the cooking time. The quinoa must be cooked at high temperature to open. Remove from heat and set aside.
To make the sauce: Chop the chicken bones and place in a heavy skillet with the peppercorns and bay leaves. Roughly chop the reserved carrot, leek, and onion and add to the pan. Place over medium heat and cook until the juices have come out of the bones and glazed the pan with a brown color. Pour in the wine and stir up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the quiriquina and cook until the liquid has thickened slightly. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and add the butter; mix with a stick blender. Keep warm.
To prepare the llama: Preheat the oven to 300 F. Cut each fillet into three medallions. Tie butcher’s twine around each to help hold the shape.Heat an ovenproof heavy skillet over medium-high heat and sear the medallions on all sides until browned. Do not crowd the pan; sear in batches if necessary. Place in the oven and finish cooking to taste, 1 to 2 minutes for rare. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the strings.
To serve: Put the eggplant puree in a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip and pipe a circle of puree around each plate, leaving plenty of space in the center. Place a bed of quinoa in the center of each serving plate. Place three llama medallions on top of each. Spoon sauce between the quinoa and the eggplant puree. Place a sprig of quiriquina or sage in the center of each.
