| Ingredients: 16 fresh langoustine, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp. basic salad vinaigrette
3-1/2 oz. mixed salad leaves
2 sprigs chervil
2 tsp. fresh lobster coral (tomalley)
2 tbsp. olive oil
Provençal sauce:
1/2 tomato, skinned and seeded
1 tsp. finely diced pitted black olives
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
1 squeeze fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Candied aubergine:
Aubergine, ideally 5 cm. (2 inches) in diameter
Sea salt, to degorge
Caster sugar, to degorge
Olive oil, for frying
Directions:1. To make the candied aubergine, cut 16 thin slices from the aubergine. Layer the slices in a colander, sprinkling each layer lightly and evenly with sea salt and caster sugar in equal proportions. Leave to degorge for 15 minutes so that any bitter juices are drawn out, leaving the slices limp. Pat the slices dry on a clean tea towel.
2. In a large frying pan add enough olive oil to give a depth of 1 cm. (1/2-inch). Heat the oil to approximately 170 C (325 F) and fry the slices until crisp but not too brown. Drain on kitchen paper towels and set aside, keeping them warm.
3. Prepare the mixed salad leaves. Pick off the leaves of the chervil and incorporate these into the salad, and set aside.
4. To make the procençal sauce, chop the skinned tomato into fine dice and mix with the olives, basil, tarragon, lemon juice and seasoning. Transfer to a small saucepan and heat until just warm but not hot.
5. Toss the langoustines in the lobster coral. Heat the oil until hot and fry the langoustines for approximately 2 minutes, stirring until lightly cooked and bright pink. Drain on kitchen paper towels.
6. Dress the mixed salad leaves with the vinaigrette and arrange in mounds in the centre of each plate. Spoon the warm provençal sauce around the salad, then place 8 langoustines on each plate, arranging them in a ring on top of the sauce. Balance a candied aubergine slice on top of each langoustine and serve immediately. |
