Chowder: Maine Halibut, Maine Little Neck Clams, Bacon Vinaigrette Gel, Hot Potato-filled Oyster Crackers, Leeks, Chowder, and Clarified Lobster Butter

In a heavy pot, sweat onion, celery, leek, bay leaf, garlic, and thyme in butter until softened and aromatic. Add roux and cook briefly until just hot, but do not darken. Add clam juice and half and half and cook, stirring often, until thickened. Remove from heat and chill.

Apply a salt cure (10 percent by weight) to halibut. Cover and refrigerate 90 minutes. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water and pat dry. Transfer halibut to a vacuum bag with a little Chowder Base. Seal and refrigerate.

To a large pot, add potatoes and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, bring to boil, reduce heat, and cook potatoes at a lively simmer until tender; drain. Let potatoes dry until just beginning to turn white at edges. Mill or rice hot potatoes into large bain marie. Stir in cream and butter and season with salt. Cover and keep warm in a double boiler.

Heat convection oven to 375ºF with fan on high. In a bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar. Rest dough 15 to 20 minutes, until head forms. Add flour, salt, and butter and mix until combined. Let rise twice, punching down dough each time. Chill in refrigerator. Roll out until 1/16-inch thick and cut into 1-inch x 1-inch squares and bake until puffy and brown.

In a heavy sauté pan, heat oil and render and brown bacon. Strain, reserving bacon and fat separately. In a separate sauté pan, heat strained fat and sauté chicken until cooked through. Add 100 grams Sherry vinegar and reduce by half. Add water and simmer 45 minutes. Add remaining vinegar and simmer 15 minutes. Strain into blender and blend until emulsified. Let cool in blender. Blend in enough Ultra-Tex to thicken to desired consistency. Pass mixture through a fine tamis and set Bacon Gel aside in a squeeze bottle with a fine tip.

In a pot, bring water and wine to boil. In a separate pot, sweat onion, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf in oil until soft and aromatic. Add clams and hot wine-water mixture. Gently simmer until clams have opened. Drain and shuck clams; refrigerate.

In a large rondeau, heat oil and toast lobster shells. Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook until chicken stock has evaporated. Strain through a chinois and chill.

Remove sealed Halibut portions from refrigerator. Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 113ºF, and cook Halibut sous vide for 20 minutes. Transfer Potato Purée to a squeeze bottle with fine tip. Using a cake tester, puncture a small hole on 1 side of the oyster crackers and fill with Potato Purée. In a saucepan, heat Chowder Base, reducing to desired consistency and finish with butter, parsley, and salt. Transfer to tableside serving-vessel and keep warm. Gently reheat Clams. To a small saucepot, add leeks and pour in beurre monté to almost cover; reduce until thickened to “quenelle consistency” and season with salt. Drain Halibut and pat dry. Place in the center of the plate. Following the outside of the plate, arrange 2 quenelles of leeks, 3 Clams, and 3 potato-filled Oyster Crackers between 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock. Garnish with small dots of Bacon Gel, parsley, and micro chard. Serve with a small pipette of Clarified Lobster Butter. Tableside, sauce plate with reduced Chowder Base.