Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Langoustine and Green Apple Tartare
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
1 hour 15 minutes
40 minutes
3 hours 55 minutes
Serves:
4 starters
Gareth created this dish for MasterChef UK Professionals Series 18. A prawn cocktail restated at final-round level: raw langoustine cut with green apple for cold, brittle acidity, ringed by a kefir and caviar sauce split with dill oil. The panel praised the langoustine for holding its bite and singl...
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Ingredients
FOR THE LANGOUSTINE TARTARE: 12 large live or very fresh langoustines (about 600 g), heads and shells reserved 1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut to a 3 mm dice 1 tbsp / 15 ml lemon juice 1 tbsp / 15 ml mild extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp / 3 g chives, finely sliced 1/4 tsp / 1.5 g fine sea salt Pinch of white pepper
FOR THE DILL OIL: 1 large bunch / 50 g fresh dill, fronds only Small handful / 20 g flat-leaf parsley leaves 1 cup / 240 ml grapeseed or other neutral oil 1/4 tsp / 1.5 g fine sea salt
FOR THE TOMATO TUILE: 1 cup / 240 ml thick tomato passata 1 large egg white, lightly loosened 2 tbsp / 16 g plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted 1 1/2 tbsp / 20 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1/4 tsp / 1.5 g fine sea salt 2 tsp / 4 g tomato powder, for dusting
FOR THE KEFIR AND CAVIAR SAUCE: 3/4 cup / 180 ml plain whole-milk kefir, live and properly sour 2 tbsp / 30 g creme fraiche 1 tsp / 5 ml lemon juice 1/4 tsp / 1.5 g fine sea salt 2 tbsp / 30 g caviar, or trout or herring roe 2 tbsp / 30 ml dill oil, from above
FOR THE MARIE ROSE LANGOUSTINE MAYONNAISE: Reserved langoustine shells from 12 langoustines (legs and claws; heads kept back) 1/2 cup / 120 ml grapeseed or other neutral oil 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature 1/2 tsp / 2.5 g Dijon mustard 2 tsp / 10 ml lemon juice 1 tbsp / 15 g tomato ketchup 1 tsp / 5 ml brandy 1/4 tsp / 1.5 ml Worcestershire sauce Pinch of cayenne pepper
FOR THE BARBECUED LANGOUSTINE HEADS: 8 reserved langoustine heads, halved lengthways, grit sac removed 1 tbsp / 15 ml olive oil Flaked sea salt, to taste
TO FINISH: Small handful of baby dill fronds A few green apple matchsticks, cut to order and held in acidulated water
EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Very sharp thin-bladed knife, for the tartare dice Fine-mesh sieve, plus muslin or a coffee filter, for clarifying the dill oil Blender or small food processor Silicone baking mat or non-stick baking parchment Offset palette knife Charcoal barbecue or a heavy ridged griddle pan Small squeeze bottle or pipette Digital scales Ring mould, 6 cm (2 1/2 in)
Method
STEP 1: BREAK DOWN THE LANGOUSTINES
Work with the langoustines as cold as possible. Twist the heads from the tails and set the heads aside for Step 8. Peel the tails, removing the shell in sections, and pull out the dark intestinal tract with the tip of a knife or a cocktail stick. Reserve every scrap of shell for the mayonnaise in Step 6. Lay the peeled tails on a plate lined with kitchen paper, cover and refrigerate. Raw shellfish deteriorates quickly once handled, so be fast rather than tidy.
STEP 2: MAKE THE DILL OIL
Bring a small pan of water to the boil and salt it. Blanch the dill and parsley for 15 seconds, then lift straight into iced water. Squeeze out as much water as you can; residual moisture clouds the oil and dulls the green. Blend the herbs with the grapeseed oil for two full minutes, so the friction warms the oil and draws out the colour. Pour through a fine sieve lined with muslin and let it drip through without pressing, which would force sediment into the oil and turn it khaki. You want a clear, vivid green. Refrigerate. This makes more than the dish needs; it keeps for 5 days.
STEP 3: REDUCE THE PASSATA AND MAKE THE TUILE BATTER
Simmer the passata in a wide pan until reduced by half, to about 120 ml, and cool completely. Whisk in the egg white, then the sifted flour, then the cooled melted butter and the salt. The batter should be the consistency of single cream. Rest it for 20 minutes so the flour hydrates; an unrested batter bubbles and tears as it bakes.
STEP 4: BAKE THE TOMATO TUILE
Heat the oven to 150C (300F). Spread the batter across a silicone mat in a thin, even sheet using an offset palette knife, no more than 1 mm thick. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until fully dry and matt; it should not colour beyond a deep brick red. Cool on the mat, then break into irregular shards roughly 6 cm across. Dust one face with tomato powder through a small sieve. Store in an airtight box with a silica sachet or a piece of dry bread until service.
STEP 5: MAKE THE KEFIR AND CAVIAR SAUCE
Whisk the kefir with the creme fraiche, lemon juice and salt until smooth and just pourable; it should hold a shallow pool on a flat plate rather than run to the rim. Resist adding more creme fraiche for body, because dairy fat mutes the sour tang that carries the dish. Fold in half the caviar and refrigerate, keeping the rest back for finishing. Taste it cold rather than at room temperature, since chilling flattens acidity.
STEP 6: MAKE THE MARIE ROSE LANGOUSTINE MAYONNAISE
Dry the reserved shells thoroughly and roast at 180C (350F) for 12 minutes until they smell sweet and toasted. Warm them in the grapeseed oil over the lowest possible heat for 30 minutes without letting the oil sizzle, then leave to infuse off the heat for a further hour. Strain and cool to room temperature. Whisk the egg yolk with the Dijon mustard and half the lemon juice, then add the shell oil drop by drop at first, building the emulsion before you increase to a thin stream. Once thick, whisk in the ketchup, brandy, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne and the remaining lemon juice. Season. It should taste unmistakably of prawn cocktail.
STEP 7: CUT THE TARTARE
Take the langoustine tails from the fridge and cut them into a 3 mm dice with a very sharp thin blade, pressing straight down rather than dragging. Peel, core and cut the apple to the same dice and toss immediately in the lemon juice. Combine the langoustine and apple with the olive oil and chives, folding lightly. Bite and texture are a function of dice size and knife pressure, so cut deliberately and do not over-mix. Season with the salt and white pepper at the last possible moment, immediately before plating.
STEP 8: BARBECUE THE LANGOUSTINE HEADS
Get a charcoal barbecue to a fierce, settled heat with no visible flame, or a ridged griddle pan very hot. Halve the heads lengthways and remove the small grit sac behind the eyes. Brush the cut faces with olive oil and lay them cut-side down for 90 seconds, then turn for a further minute. You are after caramelisation and char rather than further cooking; the heads carry the brown, savoury register that the raw tartare deliberately lacks. Salt and keep warm.
STEP 9: SPLIT THE SAUCE
Pour the kefir sauce onto each chilled plate in a shallow pool. Using a squeeze bottle or pipette, place the dill oil into the sauce in discrete drops and beads rather than a drizzle, then draw a cocktail stick through two or three of them to break the shapes. The split should look intentional and marbled. A cold plate keeps the oil from spreading into a uniform film.
STEP 10: ASSEMBLE AND SERVE IMMEDIATELY
Set a 6 cm ring in the centre of each plate and fill with the tartare, pressing only lightly, since compaction destroys the bite. Lift the ring away. Spoon the remaining caviar over the surface. Arrange the barbecued langoustine heads at the plate's edge. Dot the Marie Rose mayonnaise in three or four points around the tartare. Lay a tomato tuile shard against the tartare at an angle, dusted face up, placing it last because it softens within minutes of meeting the sauce. Finish with baby dill and a few apple matchsticks. Serve at once.
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Instructions
FOR THE LANGOUSTINE TARTARE:
12 large live or very fresh langoustines (about 600 g), heads and shells reserved
1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut to a 3 mm dice
1 tbsp / 15 ml lemon juice
1 tbsp / 15 ml mild extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp / 3 g chives, finely sliced
1/4 tsp / 1.5 g fine sea salt
Pinch of white pepper
FOR THE DILL OIL:
1 large bunch / 50 g fresh dill, fronds only
Small handful / 20 g flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup / 240 ml grapeseed or other neutral oil
1/4 tsp / 1.5 g fine sea salt
FOR THE TOMATO TUILE:
1 cup / 240 ml thick tomato passata
1 large egg white, lightly loosened
2 tbsp / 16 g plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
1 1/2 tbsp / 20 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 tsp / 1.5 g fine sea salt
2 tsp / 4 g tomato powder, for dusting
FOR THE KEFIR AND CAVIAR SAUCE:
3/4 cup / 180 ml plain whole-milk kefir, live and properly sour
2 tbsp / 30 g creme fraiche
1 tsp / 5 ml lemon juice
1/4 tsp / 1.5 g fine sea salt
2 tbsp / 30 g caviar, or trout or herring roe
2 tbsp / 30 ml dill oil, from above
FOR THE MARIE ROSE LANGOUSTINE MAYONNAISE:
Reserved langoustine shells from 12 langoustines (legs and claws; heads kept back)
1/2 cup / 120 ml grapeseed or other neutral oil
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1/2 tsp / 2.5 g Dijon mustard
2 tsp / 10 ml lemon juice
1 tbsp / 15 g tomato ketchup
1 tsp / 5 ml brandy
1/4 tsp / 1.5 ml Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of cayenne pepper
FOR THE BARBECUED LANGOUSTINE HEADS:
8 reserved langoustine heads, halved lengthways, grit sac removed
1 tbsp / 15 ml olive oil
Flaked sea salt, to taste
TO FINISH:
Small handful of baby dill fronds
A few green apple matchsticks, cut to order and held in acidulated water
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Very sharp thin-bladed knife, for the tartare dice
Fine-mesh sieve, plus muslin or a coffee filter, for clarifying the dill oil
Blender or small food processor
Silicone baking mat or non-stick baking parchment
Offset palette knife
Charcoal barbecue or a heavy ridged griddle pan
Small squeeze bottle or pipette
Digital scales
Ring mould, 6 cm (2 1/2 in)
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: BREAK DOWN THE LANGOUSTINES
Work with the langoustines as cold as possible. Twist the heads from the tails and set the heads aside for Step 8. Peel the tails, removing the shell in sections, and pull out the dark intestinal tract with the tip of a knife or a cocktail stick. Reserve every scrap of shell for the mayonnaise in Step 6. Lay the peeled tails on a plate lined with kitchen paper, cover and refrigerate. Raw shellfish deteriorates quickly once handled, so be fast rather than tidy.
STEP 2: MAKE THE DILL OIL
Bring a small pan of water to the boil and salt it. Blanch the dill and parsley for 15 seconds, then lift straight into iced water. Squeeze out as much water as you can; residual moisture clouds the oil and dulls the green. Blend the herbs with the grapeseed oil for two full minutes, so the friction warms the oil and draws out the colour. Pour through a fine sieve lined with muslin and let it drip through without pressing, which would force sediment into the oil and turn it khaki. You want a clear, vivid green. Refrigerate. This makes more than the dish needs; it keeps for 5 days.
STEP 3: REDUCE THE PASSATA AND MAKE THE TUILE BATTER
Simmer the passata in a wide pan until reduced by half, to about 120 ml, and cool completely. Whisk in the egg white, then the sifted flour, then the cooled melted butter and the salt. The batter should be the consistency of single cream. Rest it for 20 minutes so the flour hydrates; an unrested batter bubbles and tears as it bakes.
STEP 4: BAKE THE TOMATO TUILE
Heat the oven to 150C (300F). Spread the batter across a silicone mat in a thin, even sheet using an offset palette knife, no more than 1 mm thick. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until fully dry and matt; it should not colour beyond a deep brick red. Cool on the mat, then break into irregular shards roughly 6 cm across. Dust one face with tomato powder through a small sieve. Store in an airtight box with a silica sachet or a piece of dry bread until service.
STEP 5: MAKE THE KEFIR AND CAVIAR SAUCE
Whisk the kefir with the creme fraiche, lemon juice and salt until smooth and just pourable; it should hold a shallow pool on a flat plate rather than run to the rim. Resist adding more creme fraiche for body, because dairy fat mutes the sour tang that carries the dish. Fold in half the caviar and refrigerate, keeping the rest back for finishing. Taste it cold rather than at room temperature, since chilling flattens acidity.
STEP 6: MAKE THE MARIE ROSE LANGOUSTINE MAYONNAISE
Dry the reserved shells thoroughly and roast at 180C (350F) for 12 minutes until they smell sweet and toasted. Warm them in the grapeseed oil over the lowest possible heat for 30 minutes without letting the oil sizzle, then leave to infuse off the heat for a further hour. Strain and cool to room temperature. Whisk the egg yolk with the Dijon mustard and half the lemon juice, then add the shell oil drop by drop at first, building the emulsion before you increase to a thin stream. Once thick, whisk in the ketchup, brandy, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne and the remaining lemon juice. Season. It should taste unmistakably of prawn cocktail.
STEP 7: CUT THE TARTARE
Take the langoustine tails from the fridge and cut them into a 3 mm dice with a very sharp thin blade, pressing straight down rather than dragging. Peel, core and cut the apple to the same dice and toss immediately in the lemon juice. Combine the langoustine and apple with the olive oil and chives, folding lightly. Bite and texture are a function of dice size and knife pressure, so cut deliberately and do not over-mix. Season with the salt and white pepper at the last possible moment, immediately before plating.
STEP 8: BARBECUE THE LANGOUSTINE HEADS
Get a charcoal barbecue to a fierce, settled heat with no visible flame, or a ridged griddle pan very hot. Halve the heads lengthways and remove the small grit sac behind the eyes. Brush the cut faces with olive oil and lay them cut-side down for 90 seconds, then turn for a further minute. You are after caramelisation and char rather than further cooking; the heads carry the brown, savoury register that the raw tartare deliberately lacks. Salt and keep warm.
STEP 9: SPLIT THE SAUCE
Pour the kefir sauce onto each chilled plate in a shallow pool. Using a squeeze bottle or pipette, place the dill oil into the sauce in discrete drops and beads rather than a drizzle, then draw a cocktail stick through two or three of them to break the shapes. The split should look intentional and marbled. A cold plate keeps the oil from spreading into a uniform film.
STEP 10: ASSEMBLE AND SERVE IMMEDIATELY
Set a 6 cm ring in the centre of each plate and fill with the tartare, pressing only lightly, since compaction destroys the bite. Lift the ring away. Spoon the remaining caviar over the surface. Arrange the barbecued langoustine heads at the plate's edge. Dot the Marie Rose mayonnaise in three or four points around the tartare. Lay a tomato tuile shard against the tartare at an angle, dusted face up, placing it last because it softens within minutes of meeting the sauce. Finish with baby dill and a few apple matchsticks. Serve at once.
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