Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/306555
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 MAY 2011 29 RECIPE OF THE WEEK Langoustine The sweet meat of the langoustine is nei- ther a prawn nor a lobster, though the deli- cate f lavours in my opinion are superior to both cousins. Originally found off the coast of Norway (which is how they acquired their other name, Norway lobster) langoustines are a member of the lobster family and are close- ly related to Dublin Bay prawns and scampi, for which they are often mistaken. These days they are caught along the At- lantic coast, including Scotland, as well as the western Mediterranean and the Adri- atic, though overfishing has meant that they are extremely rare, and even more of a delicacy than they were previously. Unlike other crustaceans, langoustines don't change colour when they are cooked. They have pink, narrow, smooth-shelled bodies, with long knobbled claws, and tend not to carry much meat. The shell, head and thorax (the upper torso) can't be eaten, but the tail and the meat in the claws can. As they go off very quickly, most langoustine are cooked and frozen at sea, which means it's quite hard to find live ones. Fresh langoustines need roasting or boil- ing in well-salted water before being pulled from their shells. They can also be served grilled or on the BBQ. They are delicious served with just a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of mayonnaise, garlic butter or aïoli, but can also be added to curry, pasta and paella. Alternatively, deep-fry them in bat- ter or peel and poach them and make tradi- tional Scampi Provençal. Pre-boiled langoustines should be re- heated gently; don't re-cook them or they' ll toughen. Alternatively, eat pre-boiled langoustines cold in a salad with a vinegar dressing. When buying fresh langoustines, be sure that they are still moving to be sure that they are completely fresh. Until you are ready to cook your langoustines, keep them in a box in the fridge covered with damp newspaper. Use live langoustines as soon as possible after buying them, preferably the same day. Cooked langoustine can be kept in the fridge for up to two days. Langoustines should be cooked live but if you are squeamish about cooking live crea- tures, freeze them for between one and two hours to render them unconscious. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 4 MAY 2014 FINE FOOD OF THE WEEK Not a prawn, not a lobster Ingredients For the stock • 10-15 langoustines • 1 tsp butter • 2 shallots • 1 clove garlic • ½ fennel • 1 carrot • 1 parsley root • 2 thin stalks of celery • 100ml dry white wine • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds • 1 small bay leaf • Fish stock or water For the soup • ½ tsp water • 1 shallot • 1 small potato • ½ fennel • ½ tsp tomato puree • 2 pinches of saffron • 1 twig tarragon • 70-90ml cream • 1 tbsp cognac • Salt and pepper Method 1. Remove the heads of the lang- oustines, then peel the tails and devein. Be careful during this process because the peel of the langoustines is a lot harder then the peel of prawns. 2. Sauté heads and peel in butter until they become pale. 3. Add diced vegetables, bay leaf and coriander seeds and sauté for a few more mins. 4. Add white wine and cook until reduced. 5. Pour stock or water over it, just enough so that it is covered and cook for 10-15 mins and sieve. 6. Sauté chopped onion, potato and fennel in butter, add half of the tails that you have set aside, then add the prepared stock and cook for 10-15 mins. 7. Now puree and add cream and cook for another 5 mins, season with salt and pepper. 8. Remove from the heat, add tarragon and let it stand for 5 mins. Then remove tarragon and season and add the cognac. 9. Serve with the rest of the leftover tails that are fried in butter and flambé with cognac if desired. Langoustine bisque Langoustines are best served roasted, boiled, grilled or BBQed but are also fantastic in pasta, salads and paellas