Langoustines four ways2
BOXTEXT: Roasted "Little Bay" langoustines, pear coulis, lentils and Shanghai cabbage
INGREDIENTS
(Serves one)
1-2tbs spice powder
1 langoustine
40g warm pear coulis
10g warm lentils
1 Shanghai cabbage leaf (a small pak choi top)
Splash of stock
Notes
Spice powder - equal quantities of fine, dried white breadcumbs, ras-el-hanout (mixed spice used for Moroccan tagines), dried powdered orange zests, piment d'espelette (Basque paprika)
Pear coulis with "Colombo powder" - a French Caribbean spice mix. To make a close equivalent, add turmeric to a good, fresh garam masala.
Peel, quarter and poach Comice pears in very little water until just soft (no sugar). Liquidise and stir in enough of the spice mix for its taste to be barely perceptible.
Puy lentils - cooked classically with mirepoix, light stock and a piece of fat bacon. Left slightly firm, not hard and uncooked, they are seasoned with sherry vinegar and served warm.
METHOD
Put the spice in a small bowl or on a saucer. Thread the langoustine on a wooden skewer and coat it thoroughly in the mixture. It should look plump and curled up. Heat a small cast-iron pan. Add the langoustine and dry-roast (fry) it on all sides to extract the fragrance of the spices and give it a crusty surface (1).
Wilt the Shanghai cabbage leaf in boiling stock seasoned with a tiny pinch of the spice mixture.
To assemble, spoon the pear coulis into the bottom of a small soup bowl. On it, put a spoonful of warm lentils (2). To one side arrange the cabbage leaf with the hot langoustine resting on it (see photo above).
BOXTEXT: Langoustine mousseline with sweet butter and spiny artichokes
INGREDIENTS
(Serves one)
50-60g mousseline (see below)
2-3 tbs butter sauce (see below)
1/2tsp chopped chives
Quarters of spiny artichoke (see below)
Pre-prep
Langoustine mousseline: the classic Robot Coupe technique - blend 600g langoustine flesh to a purŽe with salt and pepper. Chill and blend again with 60g egg white. Chill and blend with 200ml of double cream and 2tbs manzanilla sherry. Leave overnight in the fridge. Prepare a mixing bowl over a larger bowl of ice cubes. Force the purŽe through a sieve into the bowl and incorporate 400ml double cream a little at a time to form a silky, homogenous cream.
Cardamom-scented beurre blanc: infuse between 8 and 10 split green cardamom pods in 2dl boiling water and leave till cool. Strain into a pan with 1dl double cream. Boil and reduce to about 2dl. Beat in 100g of unsalted butter a few knobs at a time. Keep warm, but do not boil.
Spiny artichokes: choose them very small, very fresh. Pull off the outer leaves. Trim them back to the hearts, keeping the stems, which should still be tender and attached. Pare the stems. Quarter the artichokes and boil in salted water containing plenty of lemon juice. Drain after five or six minutes. They should remain al dente.
METHOD
Pipe the mousseline over the base of a small soup bowl. Tap the base so that the mixture spreads and flattens in a layer less than 1cm thick. Cover the bowl with clingfilm. Poach the mousseline in a steamer for six minutes and then remove the clingfilm.
Spoon enough of the sauce over the mousseline to coat it in a film. Sprinkle chives on top. Finish with three or four pieces of artichoke, depending on their size.
BOXTEXT: GRAPEFRUIT GRANITE
At Sketch, a grapefruit granitŽ (below) is served with the "langoustines four ways" to provide a palate cleanser (if the diner wishes to use it as such) between trying the four langoustine options.
Infuse 1-2tbs of allspice berries (Jamaican pepper) in 200ml boiling water. Cool and strain. Combine with 800ml freshly pressed grapefruit juice - choose a relatively sweet variety so there will be no need to add sugar. Pour on to a shallow-sided tray.
Put in the freezer and, as the edges freeze, fork the crystals to the middle until you obtain a mass of crystals about the size of granulated sugar. For each portion, spoon about 50ml into a large shot glass.
