Ten Years Soup with Game and Haw Jelly

In a sauté pan, toast all the herbs and spices on low heat. When you can smell the aroma, turn the heat off. Put them in a gauze filter bag, and keep aside.

Put rock sugar in a large pot and caramelise it on high heat. Add the bag of herbs and spices, chicken bones, pork bones, chicken stock, garlic, ginger, chives, light and dark soy sauce, and season with salt. Bring it to the boil, then simmer for 3-4 hours on low heat. Remove the marinating soup from the heat and leave it overnight.

The next day, bring the marinating soup to the boil and strain. Keep the fat of the soup.

Chef tips: All the herbs and spices you can buy from Chinese pharmacies or a Chinese spices store. The herb and spice bag can be used two times. Dry and keep it in the refrigerator to refresh your ten years soup, which can also be used to cook red meat, like pork, chicken, beef, or game.

For game

Debone the pigeons. Keep the skin, breast and legs as whole. Use a bamboo stick to skewer the breast and leg together, just like a meat roll.

In a medium pot, bring the soup to the boil on high heat. Slowly put the pigeon and chives in the pot on low heat, keep the soup boiling for about 1.5 hours. Leave the pigeons in the pot, and put the whole pot in ice water.

For pigeon egg

Use a small pot, boil the water on high heat and put the pigeon egg into it slowly, for about 1 min. Remove to ice water and then shell them. Carefully break the shell. 

Put the pigeon eggs in the ten years soup, make sure the heat does not exceed 50℃. Make sure the flavour is infused, and it is ready to serve.

For pigeon glazing

In a medium pot, caramelise the rock sugar on medium heat. Add in the onion and ginger and cook on low heat. When it becomes caramelised, put the soup and all the spices in it. Reduce it to glaze, and it is ready to serve.

For filo pastry nest

Defrost the filo pastry, and finely shred it. In a small pot, heat oil to149℃. Use a small strainer, put 10g of filo pastry in it and fry for about 30 seconds.

Leave the strainer out with filo pastry and quickly cover with another strainer. Slowly take the pastry out when crispy. Gently sieve the powder on the top of it. Set aside in a dry place.

For haw jelly

Mix haw juice, simple syrup, lemon juice, in a small sauce pan, bring to the boil, mix with agar and strain into another container, keep in the chiller. When cold, cut it 1 inch by 4 inch, paper thin.

Place a bowl and pine tree leaf, on a plate. Put the pastry nest down and place the pigeon, egg and haw jelly into it. Set fire to the leaf to create a rich aroma.