Chargrilled Langoustines, Bisque, Buttermilk and Pickled fennel

Ingredients

12 langoustines, live

oil

salt

Pickled fennel

1 fennel

100g of white wine

100ml of white wine vinegar

50ml of water

50g of sugar

thyme

1 tsp salt

Bisque

1 onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

fennel

3 garlic cloves

4 sprigs of thyme

1 bay leaf

1 star anise

1 tsp tomato paste

75ml of brandy

250ml of white wine

250g of tomatoes

2l fish stock

Buttermilk

100ml of buttermilk

1 tsp pickled lemon

salt

pepper

Seaweed butter

250g of butter

2 sheets of nori seaweed

To plate

sea fennel

sea purslane

bronze fennel

How to Make

1.Begin by preparing the pickled fennel. Remove and reserve the fennel tops, then thinly slice the bulb using a mandoline. Season with salt and leave to sit for 30 minutes

1 fennel

1 tsp salt

2.Meanwhile, make the pickling liquor by combining the white wine, vinegar, sugar, thyme and water together in a pan. Bring to the boil and, once boiling, remove the pan from the heat

100g of white wine

100ml of white wine vinegar

50ml of water

50g of sugar

thyme

3.Wash the salt from the fennel slices and dry them carefully using kitchen towel. Place into a container or jar and pour over the warm pickling liquor. Cover and leave the slices to steep in a cool place for at least 3 hours

4.Place the langoustines in the freezer for 1 hour to stun – this allows them to be killed humanely. Remove the tails and set to one side, separating the heads, claws and shell for the bisque. Smash the heads, claws and shell into pieces using a rolling pin

12 langoustines, live

5.Preheat the oven to 180°C

6.Roast the langoustine pieces in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden. Meanwhile, sweat the onion, celery, fennel and garlic together in a pan, then add the herbs and anise

1 onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

fennel

3 garlic cloves

4 sprigs of thyme

1 bay leaf

1 star anise

7.Add the roasted shell pieces to the pan along with the tomato paste and allow to cook out for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the brandy and white wine, then add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes

1 tsp tomato paste

75ml of brandy

250ml of white wine

250g of tomatoes

8.Add the stock to the pan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave for 15 minutes to infuse, then pass through a fine chinois into a clean pan

2l fish stock

9.Heat until reduced to a thick sauce-like consistency, seasoning to taste, then remove the pan from the heat and keep warm until ready to serve

10.To make the seaweed butter blitz the nori in a food processor until it forms a fine powder. Beat the butter until whipped, then fold through the seaweed. Set aside in a cool place until ready to serve

250g of butter

2 sheets of nori seaweed, blitzed to a powder

11.For the buttermilk, mix together the milk and lemon juice until well combined. Season to taste and add more lemon juice if required

100ml of buttermilk

1 tsp pickled lemon

pepper

salt

12.Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and blanch the langoustines tails for 10 seconds, then immediately plunge them into iced water to refresh

13.Place a griddle pan over a high heat until hot, then peel the langoustines and season with salt and a little oil and place into the pan. Cook for 1 minute until caramelised on one side, then remove from the pan and brush with seaweed butter

salt

oil

14.To serve, smear a little of the buttermilk across each plate and spoon over the bisque. Arrange a generous serving of the pickled fennel across the centre of the plate and top with the grilled langoustine tails. Blanch the sea vegetables and place on top with the fennel and reserved fennel tops

bronze fennel

sea purslane

sea fennel

by Paul Welburn