12 small langoustines, shelled and deveined 2 sprigs fresh tarragon
Gazpacho
80 g crustless bread
8 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped '12 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 English cucumber, seeded and chopped 'l2 clove garlic
70 g finely chopped onion
1 egg
10 ml olive oil
Courgette Quenelles
300 g courgettes
1 leaf gelatine soaked in a little water 50 ml cream
salt and milled black pepper
Gazpacho: Place the bread in a bowl. Extract juice from the tomatoes, red pepper, cucumber, garlic and onion with a juice extractor, pour over the bread and set aside for 10 minutes to soak. Purée until smooth.
Whip together the egg and olive oil and add to the soup. Season with a dash of red wine vinegar and salt and pepper. Push through a sieve into a bowl and refrigerate.
Courgette Quenelles: Peel the courgettes with a potato peeler to a thickness of 0,5 cm. Cook in boiling salted water for 8 minutes, then drain and plunge into cold water to retain the colour.
Drain thoroughly and pass through a sieve into a saucepan. Cook uncovered over low heat, stirring constantly, until the purée is dry.
Remove the gelatine from the water and dry on a towel. Mix thoroughly into the quenelle mixture and chill. Whip the cream stiffly and fold in. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the langoustines into a steamer with the tarragon and steam over simmering water for 30-60 seconds; don't overcook.
To Serve: Pour chilled gazpacho into cold soup bowls. Using two teaspoons, scoop the courgette mixture into quenelles and arrange three mounds in the shape of
a star in each bowl. Place the langoustinesbetween the quenelles.
Serves 4
Asparagus in Puff Pastry with Warm Oysters
400 g puff pastry
8 oysters
150 ml cream
100 g butter
8 spears green asparagus
2-3 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
Pastry: Set the oven at 200°C. Lightly oil a baking tray.
Unroll the pastry and cut into four squares. Place on the baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until well puffed and golden. Whilst still warm, slit each square through the middle so that you have an upper and a lower half.
Carefully open the oysters over a bowl to retain all the juices. Discard bits of shell and grit.
Place oysters and juice into a small
saucepan. Cover, bring to the boil, and remove from the heat. Add the cream and boil uncovered for 1 minute.
Reduce the heat and stir in the butter. Set aside.
Cook the asparagus in a pan of salted boiling water until tender but still crisp. Drain. Cut the base of the spears into
small pieces, leaving sufficient length to lay on the pastry.
To Serve: Reheat oysters. Place pastry bases on warm plates. Spoon on the warm oysters, and arrange asparagus spears on top.
Pour over the sauce and top with pastry
lids. Garnish plates with diced tomato. Serves 4