Langoustine and Salmon Tart

This is a more sophisticated version of salmon en croute

with a rich langoustine sauce to serve.

Ingredients:
For the langoustine tart:
500g all-butter puff pastry
600g salmon, skin and pin bones, about 2.5cm/1in thick
1 egg white
50ml double cream
20 langoustines, peeled, de-veined, shells reserved for the sauce
125g baby spinach leaves
2 egg yolks, beaten

For the sauce:
50g butter
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
½ head fennel, roughly chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2ml cayenne pepper
10ml tomato purée
75ml white wine
500ml fish stock
75ml double cream
½ lemon, juice only

Method:

For the tart, preheat the oven to 200C.

Roll the pastry out on a floured work surface to a 3mm thickness. Cut out a 30cm x 10cm rectangle and a 37.5cm x 15cm rectangle.

Trim the salmon into a 27.5cm x 7.5cm rectangle

Roughly chop the salmon trimmings (about 175g). Blend the salmon trimmings and egg whites to a purée in a food processor. Add the cream, salt and freshly ground black pepper and blend together until smooth.

Place the smaller piece of pastry onto a baking tray and spread over half of the salmon purée. Cover with the langoustines and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Arrange the spinach leaves on top, then the piece of salmon. Cover with the larger piece of the pastry and crimp the edges. Trim the edges and brush with the beaten egg yolks. Score the pastry with a table knife.

Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked through and golden-brown. Set aside to rest for five minutes.

Meanwhile, for the sauce, heat a frying pan until hot and add the butter, onion, carrots, fennel and thyme and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until just softened but not coloured.

Add the langoustine shells, cayenne and tomato purée and cook for a further minute. Add the white wine and continue to cook until the volume of the liquid is reduced by half.

Add the fish stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Blend the sauce in a blender until smooth, then pass through a sieve into a saucepan. Return the sauce to a simmer, add the cream and cook for a further minute. Season, to taste, with salt, lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, carve the tart into slices and spoon over the sauce.

Braaied Langoustines in Garlic & Parsley Marinade

Langoustines, when you can get them, are delicious.

Quick and easy on the braai or barbecue.

Ingredients:
100ml olive oil
50ml white wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with the edge of a knife
small bunch parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
24 langoustines, or tiger prawns, de-veined, cleaned, heads and shells removed (reserve the shells)

Method:
In a bowl, mix together the oil, white wine vinegar, garlic and parsley in a bowl.
Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Add the langoustines and reserved langoustine shells to the marinade mixture, cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
Meanwhile, light the barbecue 30 minutes before you want to eat.
Soak 12 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes, then shake off any excess water.
When the braai coals are ash-white and the langoustines have marinated, thread three langoustines onto each skewer and place onto the braai.
Cook, turning regularly and basting with the remaining marinade mixture, until pink and completely cooked through, then serve.

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