Butter-Poached Langoustines with Smoked...Butter-Poached Langoustines with Smoked Dashi Emulsion and Sunchoke Mousseline

Succulent Scottish langoustines gently poached in cultured butter, served atop a velvety sunchoke purée with an umami-rich smoked dashi emulsion, crisp sea succulents, and Oscietra caviar.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the sunchoke mousseline: Place sliced sunchokes, milk, cream, and a pinch of salt in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer gently until fork-tender, about 18 minutes.

2. 02

   Transfer the tender sunchokes to a high-speed blender with 50g of chilled butter. Blend on high until completely glossy and smooth. Pass through a fine chinois (tamis) and keep warm.

3. 03

   Prepare the smoked dashi emulsion: In a small saucepan, bring the smoked kombu dashi and white soy sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and gradually whisk in 100g of cold cubed butter piece by piece to form a rich, glossy emulsion. Finish with fresh yuzu juice. Aerate with an immersion blender just before serving to create a delicate foam.

4. 04

   Poach the langoustines: Melt the remaining 100g of butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucier over low heat, maintaining a constant temperature between 54°C and 56°C (130°F–133°F). Gently submerge the langoustine tails and poach for 3 to 4 minutes until barely opaque and tender.

5. 05

   Quickly toss the blanched samphire in a spoonful of the warm poaching butter to glisten and warm through.

6. 06

   Assembly: Spoon a smooth circular base of warm sunchoke mousseline into the center of each shallow bowl. Arrange three butter-poached langoustines over the purée.

7. 07

   Spoon the aerated smoked dashi emulsion around the periphery. Garnish each tail with sea samphire, pearls of finger lime, and finish with a pristine quenelle of Oscietra caviar atop the center.