Tomato and langoustine soup topped with lemon balm pesto crouton
Ingredients
(serves six)
10 tomatoes
3oz butter
1 carrot
1 onion
2 celery sticks
½ leek
3 cloves garlic
2lb langoustine shells
2 shots Armagnac
2 star anise
2 bay leaves
6pt chicken stock
½pt double cream
3oz plain flour
3oz soft butter
8 bunches lemon balm
For the lemon balm pesto: 20 lemon balm leaves
1tbs chopped parsley
2oz grated Parmesan
4tbs olive oil
1oz roasted pine nuts
1 clove garlic
Zest and juice of half a lemon
Method
Chop the vegetables and garlic roughly then place in a large saucepan with the butter. Add lemon balm. Cover with a lid and sweat the vegetables for 10-15 minutes on a low to medium heat.
Add the star anise bay leaves and crushed langoustine shells. Place in a moderate oven for about one hour stirring occasionally.
Put the pan back on the top of the stove and allow to get very hot. Pour in the Armagnac and set alight with a match. Let it extinguish on its own. Pour in the chicken stock and simmer for about an hour until the liquid has reduced by half.
Meanwhile purée the ingredients for the lemon balm pesto in a pestle and mortar. Spread on to croutons.
Pass the soup through a sieve and discard the shells bring the liquid back to the boil. Mix the soft butter with the flour to make a paste then whisk this into the soup until the lumps have disappeared. Boil for five minutes. Add cream season and serve with croutons.