Harts of Stur Kitchen Issue 08, Winter 2018-19 | Page 24

Harts Kitchen Menu à la Harts Prawn of a New Day The prawn cocktail is back and it’s never been better thanks to Michelin-starred Saturday Kitchen regular Tom Kitchin T he poor prawn cocktail – it used to be the most fashionable of dishes in the 1970s/80s, served in a martini glass with a wedge of lemon over the side. Then the dish fell out of fashion and was laughed at, but now it seems to have returned, often served with a wry smile. My family and I now love to eat this dish as the starter on Christmas Day. It’s always difficult to find that starter that feels special, but, importantly, that all the family (including the aunties) will enjoy. I’ve used langoustine in this recipe as that is my first choice, but any other type of prawn works just as well. And, just as chefs once did, I love to serve the cocktail in a martini glass so it stands proud on the Christmas table. Posh Prawn Cocktail Serves 4 Ingredients 20 langoustines 4 Iceberg lettuce leaves, finely shredded smoked paprika Baby Gem lettuce leaves, to garnish lemon wedges, to serve Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper For poaching 1 litre water 1 tablespoon sea salt 10 fennel seeds 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed 4 black peppercorns 2 garlic cloves, smashed 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 1 shallot, chopped 1 thyme sprig ½ lemon, sliced For the Marie Rose sauce 200ml Mayonnaise 2 tablespoons ketchup ½ teaspoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce or 2 drops of Tabasco sauce sherry or brandy, to taste ½ lemon For the avocado mixture Avocados 2 tablespoons crème fraîche ½ lemon Method About Tom Kitchin Tom is Scotland’s youngest Michelin starred chef, proprietor of acclaimed Edinburgh restaurant The Kitchin. He’s a regular on the Great British Menu and Saturday Kitchen and has been a judge on the Masterchef Final Chef’s Table. Extract from Tom Kitchin’s Fish & Shellfish Photographs ©Marc Millar The langoustines can be poached early in the day and chilled in the liquid until required, but just make sure you allow enough time for them to cool before serving. Bring the water to the boil with the salt. Add all the poaching ingredients, stir to dissolve the salt and leave to simmer, uncovered, for 12 minutes. Add the langoustines to the simmering liquid, turn off the heat and leave them to cool in the liquid, uncovered. Remove the langoustines from the poaching liquid and discard the liquid. Twist off the tails, holding them in a kitchen cloth if you find them too sharp. Now carefully squeeze the langoustine tails to crack the shells, then peel off the shells. As you peel the tails, place the flesh on a kitchen cloth to dry. Using a small knife cut the back of the 24 www.hartsofstur.com