Gazpacho with Langoustines and Courgette Quenelles

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

red wine vinegar

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 langoustine_sbetween 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

Seafood Curry Le Med

Don't be put off by the list of ingredients in this famous curry, as it will undoubtedly become a favourite with your guests. The sauce can be made a day ahead or ozen for future use. Remember to add he seafood at the last minute to ensure hat it's not overdone.

300 g calamari tubes, well cleanedand cut into rings

300g large prawns, shelled and deveined

300 g filleted firm fish (for example gamefish Ike tuna or yellowtail), skinned and cut into 2 cm cubes

500 g black mussels on the half shell

Curry Sauce

45ml vegetable oil

3 onions, chopped

1 red pepper, seeded and chopped green pepper, seeded and chopped nil crushed garlic

15 ml crushed green ginger

15ml commercial green curry paste

10ml finely grated lemon rind

5 ml chopped fresh fennel

10 ml Chinese five spice powder

2ml cumin seeds, crushed

5 ml paprika 4 bay leaves 60 ml tomato paste

60 ml chutney 15 ml honey

500 ml chicken or Fish Stock (page 209) 400 g can coconut cream

30 ml corn flour mixed with

60 ml water salt

45 ml finely shredded fresh basil leaves

Curry Sauce: Heat the oil in a wide saucepan and fry the onion and red and green pepper until softened.

Add the garlic, ginger and curry paste and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the lemon rind, fennel, five-spice powder, cumin seeds, paprika, bay leaves, tomato paste, chutney, honey, stock and coconut cream, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Add the cornflour and water and simmer for a further 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Check the flavour and add salt to taste.

Bring the sauce to the boil. Add the prepared calamari, prawns and fish and simmer for 5-6 minutes until done. Add the mussels and basil and heat through.

Serve curry on rice with a selection of assorted sambals like bowls of toasted coconut, chopped onion and tomato and chutney.

Serves 6