During these unprecedented times, when staying at home is of the utmost importance, us here at The AU Review are going to be doing everything we can to help readers live their best lives, indoors.
As with many other media companies who typically focus on getting folks out and about, we’re shifting to adapt to the necessary lock-downs taking place all over the world. One way we’ll be doing so is simply by sharing our favourite recipes.
Over the next few weeks (or months, who knows) we’ll be publishing the cocktail and food recipes that we find most exciting, so that when you aren’t ordering in to support your favourite venues, you’ll know enough to quickly throw together some top-class concoctions
Scallops Chartreuse
Moroccan luxury hotel, Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech, offers a wide variety of dining experiences. With opulent cafes to Michelin star restaurants, the affluent property places a high emphasis on sustainability by sourcing local ingredients and produce. Chef Oliver Chef at La Caravane, shares with us a sophisticated and delicate scallops chartreuse recipe, transporting you to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco without needing to leave the house. Serves up to 4 people and perfect for the upcoming brisk winter nights.
Ingredients – Scallops
- 500gms of Fresh scallops (for mousse)
- 100gm of Diced scallops (for filling )
- 220 gm of Savoy Cabbage (blanched in salted water) with 4 big pieces for outer layer and 8 small round pieces for middle layers (4.5 diameter in size)
- Table Salt To taste
- White Pepper To taste
- 50 ml of Double cream
- 0.5gm of Saffron
- Soft butter (9cm and 50ml)
Method – Scallops
- Clean and wash the scallops. Pat dry with a kitchen cloth, season with salt and white pepper.
- Place the scallops into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 4 to 5 times. Add the double cream and pulse until combined well, scrape down the sides of the bowl, adjust the seasoning.
- Add saffron strands mix well until the saffron incorporates very well with the scallop mousse.
- Place the mousse into a pastry bag, reserve in the fridge until required.
- Blanch the savoy cabbage in heavy salted boiling water for 3- 4 minutes until thoroughly cooked, refresh the leaves immediately in iced cold water to retain the color.
- Layer the leaves in a kitchen towel to remove the excess moisture from the leaves.
- Reserve 4 big blanched savoy cabbage leaves for outer layers and cut 8 small round pieces (4.5 diameters) by round cutter.
- Apply soft butter in a small bowl (9cm and 50ml) and layer the blanched cabbage leaves on the bowl followed by the scallop mousse (press the mousse very well by wet hands).
- For the next layer, place the round shaped savoy cabbage leaves on the top of the scallop mousse, press down.
- Repeat the process for another three layers; finally cover the bowl tightly with cling wrap.
- Preheat the steam oven for 100 degree Celsius, steam the mixture for about 10-12 minutes until cooked through.
Ingredients – Shrimp Bisque
- 500gm of fresh prawn heads
- 20gm of crushed peeled garlic
- 20gm of sliced peeled ginger
- Salt To taste
- White pepper to taste
- 30ml of corn oil (or canola oil)
- 500ml of full cream milk
- 30gm of tomato paste
- 2 Roma tomato /peeled, de-seeded and diced
- 10gm of sugar
- 15 ml of lemon juice
- 30gm of soft butter
Method – Shrimps Bisque
- Heat up the corn oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Fry the shells in the oil for about 5 minutes, add the onion, crushed garlic cloves and sliced ginger. Cook for about 10 mins until the vegetables start softening.
- Add tomato paste, peeled and diced roma tomato into the mixture. Cook for a further two minutes until the vegetables are soft and well combined.
- Pour the cold milk into the vegetable mixture, slowly simmer in a medium heat about 15 minutes until the sauce absorbs the full flavor of the prawn heads.
- By using a heavy blender or food processor, blend the sauce with the cooked shells and vegetables. Pass through the sauce in a conical strainer, add seasonings and lemon juice.
- 5. Finally add soft butter to the sauce whisk very well until the butter mixes thoroughly with the sauce.
Ingredients – Garnish
- 50gm of scallops
- 3pcs of fresh oysters
- 3pcs sea urchin meat
- 3 sprigs of celery leaves
- 2 sprigs of watercress
- 10 ml of extra virgin olive oil
- 3pcs viola verbena flowers
- 2gms of salt
- 2gms of white pepper
- 20ml of clarified butter
- 10 ml of lemon juice
Method – Garnish
- Season the scallops with salt and white pepper, heat a nonstick sauté pan over a high heat and add a tablespoon of clarified butter.
- Place the scallops flat side down in the hot pan, reduce the heat down until the scallops are half the way cooked through and flip the scallops on the other side add fresh lemon juice.
- Remove the scallops from the pan and leave in the paper cloth to absorb the excess fat.
- Open the fresh oysters, season with salt and pepper.
- Steam the oysters for about two minutes until cooked through (preheat steamer for 5 minutes for better results).
- Season the urchin meat, add bit clarified butter just warm through under the salamander for about 20 seconds before serving.
Method – Serving
- Warm through the prawn’s bisque in a small sauce pot; pour in the middle of the deep plate.
- Gently remove the cling crap from the scallop chartreuse. Cut a small triangle piece from the chartreuse for better presentation and place on the left side of the plate.
- On the other side gently place the pan seared scallops (half cut), steamed oysters and sea urchin.
- Finish the dish by garnishing with watercress, celery leaves & viola flowers.
- Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil before serving the dish.
You can find corn oil at your local Asian grocery.