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.

9,1154.3/5 for 38 ratings

Last modified on: June 28^th 2017

Preparation	Cooking	Start to finish
1 hour 32 min.	43 min.	2 hours 15 min.

Preparation

Cooking

Start to finish

1 hour 32 min.

43 min.

2 hours 15 min.

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.

The langoustine fumet

Prepare 1 Bouquet garni and finely chop 30 g onion.

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.

Pour in 200 ml water and 200 ml dry white wine, then add the bouquet garni.

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.

Second-stage cooking of langoustines

Melt 30 g butter in a frying pan on high heat. When good and hot, add the langoustine tails.

Fry for a minute or two until they start to brown, then set aside.

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.

Add 250 ml liquid cream, salt lightly, pepper and then check the seasoning.

Stage 19 - 2 min.

Bring to the boil, take off the heat and and 20 g cornflour (mixed with a little cold water) all at once while beating with a whisk.

The mixture should thicken rapidly. This will give us enough sauce to cover the gratin. Set aside.

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.

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	Langoustines (scampi): You can check-out other recipes which use it, like for example: Chilli langoustines, Turban of sole with langoustines, Sesame fried scampi, Langoustine sabayon tart, Langoustine and leek tarts, ... All
	Liquid cream: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Fish petals, vegetables julienne, and beurre blanc, Creamy risotto with diced vegetables and flax seeds, Lemon and lime cakes, Summer Salmon Blanquette, Like Bounty, ... All
	Water: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Choux pastry (pâte à choux), Special small breads, Hollandaise sauce, Ali Baba bread, Seeded loaf, ... All
	Dry white wine: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Salmon with sorrel, Seven-hour lamb, Beurre blanc sauce, Polenta with spinach and soft-poached egg, Spaghetti with mussels and basil, ... All

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