Warm smoked cod cheeks with cockerels' crests and chicken popcorn

Ingredients

For the cockerels' crests
4 cockerels' crests (available from some butchers)
salt
200ml/7¼fl oz duck fat
For the chicken popcorn
100g/4oz chicken skin
50g/2oz popping corn kernels
50g/2oz sugar
25ml/1fl oz water
For the mozzarella mousse
100ml/3½fl oz double cream
2 leaves gelatine
250g/9oz mozzarella
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the mozzarella 'smoke bombs'
8 mini mozzarella balls
smoke-filled foam gun
2 NO2 chargers
For the pistachio praline
150g/5oz unsalted pistachios, out of their shells
25g/1oz rapeseed oil
salt, to taste
For the smoked cod cheeks
4 skinned smoked cod cheeks (trim off any excess fat or skin) (cod cheeks are available from specialist fishmongers and Anthony smoked them himself)
100g/4oz butter
To serve
400ml/14½fl oz jus or concentrated chicken stock
unsalted pistachios, grated
pea shoots
edible red amaranth

Method

1. For the cockerels' crests, place the crests into a pan of boiling water. Blanch for 30 seconds and then transfer to a bowl of iced cold water. Peel off the outer membrane.
2. Place the crests on a plate and sprinkle with salt. Cover and leave in the fridge for ten hours.
3. The next day, wash off the salt under running cold water and place the crests in an ovenproof dish. Preheat the oven to 110C/230F/Gas ¼. Cover with the duck fat and transfer to the oven to cook for 2½ hours.
4. After 2½ hours, carefully remove the crests from the duck fat and transfer to the fridge to chill.
5. For the chicken popcorn, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and place the chicken skin on a baking tray.
6. Bake the chicken skin in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until crisp.
7. Meanwhile, place the popping corn kernels in a pan with a little oil over a medium heat. Fry until all the corns have popped.
8. Mix the sugar and water together. Boil to 110C/230F, using a sugar thermometer to monitor the temperature. Pour the boiled water and sugar evenly over the popped corn.
9. Chop the chicken skin very finely and sprinkle the skin over the corn. Mix well to cover the corn fully.
10. For the mozzarella mousse, warm the cream in a pan. Dissolve the gelatine in the cream and stir thoroughly. Pour over the mozzarella and blend with a hand blender to a smooth paste. Set in the fridge.
11. For the mozzarella 'smoke bombs', melt the mini mozzarella balls in a bowl in the microwave for eight seconds on HIGH, then stir to make a paste. Place a quarter of the mixture over the end of the foam gun and fill with smoke. Pinch the end to trap the smoke in and trim off any excess. Repeat with the remaining mozzarella to make four 'smoke bombs', reheating the cheese to melt if necessary.
12. For the pistachio praline, blend all the pistachio praline ingredients together in a blender until smooth.
13. For the smoked cod cheeks, heat almost all of the butter in a pan and add the smoked cod cheeks. Spoon the butter over the cheeks until warmed through.
14. To serve, pour the jus into a small saucepan, add the cockerels' crests and warm through over a low heat. Rub the mozzarella balls with the pistachio praline and roll them in grated pistachios. Arrange the ingredients among four plates and finish with the smoked cheek. Add the reserved butter to the jus. Dress the plate with the mix and edible amaranth and serve.