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
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