Langoustine gratin
This elegant gratin has a layer of brunoise vegetables in the bottom, with langoustine tails (scampi) cooked in two stages on top, finished with a thick creamy sauce, made with the "fumet" from the langoustines.
This recipe is quite long to make, but can be prepared in stages over a number of days. The end result is well worth all the effort.
7,7644.3/5
Last modified on: June 28th 2017
For 6 people, you will need:
- 1
1 kg 500 g langoustines (scampi) - 2
1 Bouquet garni - 3
30 g onion - 4
30 g butter - 5
200 ml water - 6
200 ml dry white wine - 7
2 carrots - 8
3 turnips - 9
1 courgette - 10 30 g butter
- 11
250 ml liquid cream - 12
20 g cornflour - 13
salt - 14
pepper - Total weight: 3,175 grams
How long does it take?
| Preparation | Cooking | Start to finish |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hour 32 min. | 43 min. | 2 hours 15 min. |
At what time?
When will I finish if I start the recipe at a certain time?
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at a certain time?
Work this out...
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at a certain time?
Work this out...
Step by step recipe
Stage 1
20 min.
Boiling the langoustines
Boil the langoustiens for 30 seconds in boiling salted water, then cool under running cold water.Shell them and set aside the tails. Keep half the heads for making the fumet.
Stage 2
5 min.
Stage 3
2 min.
Melt 30 g butter in a large saucepan on medium heat, then add the chopped onion, salt and pepper.Cook for 1 minute without colouring.
Stage 4
1 min.
Add the langoustine heads...Stage 5
2 min.
... and crush briefly with the end of a rolling pin, for example.Stage 6
1 min.
Stage 7
5 min.
Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to its lowest setting and leave to reduce by half.This simmering will create the "fumet", as the liquids (water and wine) mingle with the flavours of the bouquet garni and langoustine heads.
Stage 8
40 min.
The vegetable brunoise
While the fumet is reducing, rinse and peel 2 carrots and 3 turnips, then dice very small ("fine brunoise").Rinse the courgette and cut the part with the green skin into tiny dice (you can use the leftover courgette in another recipe).
I have to admit, this is a long, arduous task!
Stage 9
5 min.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.Immerse a fine metal strainer, which will enable you to remove the vegetables quickly.
Stage 10
1 min.
Toss the diced courgettes into the water, wait until the pan comes back to the boil, then remove them immediately by simply lifting out the strainer.Stage 11
1 min.
Cool the diced courgettes under running cold water to stop the cooking...Stage 12
2 min.
...drain thoroughly, then tip out onto absorbant paper to wait.Stage 13
5 min.
Do the same with the carrots and turnips, which can be cooked together, and for 30 seconds longer than the courgettes.Note: Don't throw this cooking water away - it is now worth keeping.
Stage 14
4 min.
Stage 15
3 min.
The gratin cream sauce
Let's go back to the fumet, which by now should be reduced by half. Strain into a bowl and discard everything but the liquid.Stage 16
2 min.
Pour this back into the pan (after rinsing out), but be careful to keep back the dregs of the fumet which will be full of sand and should be discarded.Stage 17
8 min.
Put the fumet back on medium heat and leave to reduce by half again.Stage 18
3 min.
Stage 19
2 min.
Stage 20
4 min.
Assembling the gratin
Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).Butter a gratin dish and spread the mixed diced vegetables in an even layer.
Stage 21
2 min.
Arrange the sautéed langoustine tails on top.Stage 22
2 min.
Pour the sauce over.Stage 23
15 min.
Cooking and serving
Bake for about 15 minutes, until the top is nicely browned (finish under the grill if necessary).Stage 24
Best served plated up (on hot plates): try to keep the langoustines on top and the vegetables underneath.Remarks
As I was saying, this recipe takes a long time, but much of it can be prepared in advance. Only the assembly of the gratin and final cooking need to be done just before serving.
You will see that in step 19 the cream is not reduced, but thickened with cornflour instead. This is to keep a decent quantity of sauce without it being too liquid, otherwise it would run into the bottom of the dish.
If you are happy with the idea, you can dispense with boiling the langoustines in salated water in step 1 and shell them raw before the sauté stage (step 14).
To simplify the recipe, just slice the vegetables thinly instead of cutting into brunoise dice.
You will see that in step 19 the cream is not reduced, but thickened with cornflour instead. This is to keep a decent quantity of sauce without it being too liquid, otherwise it would run into the bottom of the dish.
If you are happy with the idea, you can dispense with boiling the langoustines in salated water in step 1 and shell them raw before the sauté stage (step 14).
To simplify the recipe, just slice the vegetables thinly instead of cutting into brunoise dice.
Nutritional information
How much will it cost?
For 6 people : 27.60 €
Per person : 4.60 €
Source: Home made.
More recipes?
This recipe use (among others) | Langoustines (scampi): You can check-out other recipes which use it, like for example: Langoustine sabayon tart, Langoustine and leek tarts, Sesame fried scampi, Chilli langoustines, Turban of sole with langoustines, ... All |
| Liquid cream: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Polenta with spinach and soft-poached egg, Strawberry, kiwi and mascarpone verrines, Icelandic-style fish and vegetable pie, Household cake (Gâteau de ménage), Cod loin with saffron, ... All |
| Water: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Bacon rolls, French baguettes, French croissants, How to fry eggs well, Fresh fruit in sabayon, ... All |
| Dry white wine: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Tartiflette, Saltimbocca, Quiche Bretonne, Fish in white wine, Sausage mushroom and cheese crumble, ... All |
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