Raw Prawns with Dried Strawberries, Large Olives and Basil
Carme Ruscalleda, Flavors of Spain. Total time: more than 2 hours. Preparation and cooking time: Some elements of the recipe require up to 24 hours. Difficulty: Average. Chef's Note: I always use mineral water for cooking. If your water is too hard, it can alter the cooking process or the taste of the food. That is what happens in many regions of Spain, including Catalonia, where I live. The recipe for the black olive ice cream described below is the method used in restaurants. To make it at home, leave out the powdered glucose and stabilizer and proceed according to the usual method for your ice-cream maker. I use Maldon salt, a sea salt from Great Britain, but you can use another sea salt to enhance this dish just before the final presentation. For 4 servings.
Ingredients
| 6 | prawns (per person) | |
| â | Salt and pepper | |
| 200 ml | extra virgin olive oil (prawn vinaigrette) | |
| 60 ml | lemon juice | |
| 0.5 tsp | 2.5 ml | mustard |
| 2 tsp | 10 ml | shallots |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | chopped green pepper + chopped red pepper |
| â | garlic powder | |
| â | Chopped parsley | |
| â | strawberries | |
| 100 ml | extra virgin olive oil (strawberry dressing) | |
| 20 ml | balsamic vinegar | |
| â | Basil leaves | |
| 250 g | Aragon black olives (powder) | |
| 325 g | sugar (ice cream) | |
| 60 g | spray glucose (restaurant version) | |
| 50 g | skim milk powder | |
| 320 g | cream | |
| 1.12 l | whole milk | |
| 10 g | ice cream stabilizer (restaurant version) | |
| 60 g | egg yolks | |
| 300 g | pitted Aragon black olives | |
| 50 g | basil (purée) | |
| 100 ml | extra virgin olive oil (basil purée) | |
| 300 g | strawberry jam | |
| 100 ml | extra virgin olive oil (strawberry purée) | |
| 25 ml | sherry vinegar | |
| 50 ml | water | |
| â | Arugula, frisĂ©e and lamb's lettuce | |
| â | Chives, chervil | |
| 100 ml | sea water | |
| 1 | sheet of gelatin | |
| â | Chopped chives |
Instructions
Prawns:
- For each portion, slice 2 prawns lengthwise into thin slices and line a small individual mould with them;
- cut up the remaining four prawns so as to fill the mould; season with salt and pepper. Press down well so that the prawns are formed into the shape of the mould.
- Moisten with a spoonful of the vinaigrette. Set aside.
Vinaigrette for the prawns: Combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette.
Strawberries:
- Cut the strawberries in halves or quarters, depending on their size; place on a baking sheet; season with salt and pepper;
- place in the oven to dry for three hours at 100° C (210° F).
Vinaigrette for the strawberries: Combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette.
Black olive powder:
- Pit the black olives; dehydrate them whole at 60° C (140° F) for 24 hours.
- Cut in half and continue drying for another hour.
- Grind the dried olives to a powder in a mortar, a food processor or blender. Store in a tightly closed jar.
Black olive ice cream:
- In a Termomix ice cream maker combine the sugar, glucose, powdered milk, cream and whole milk; heat the mixture to 40° C (104° F);
- add the 10 g of stabilizer, egg yolks, black olive pulp, salt and pepper and heat to 80° C (176° F).
- Cool rapidly and let ripen in the refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours.
- Mix the ice cream in the termomix, sieve and place in the freezer. Keep the ice cream in the freezer at -18° C (0° F).
Basil purée:
- Dip the basil leaves into hot water;
- Combine them in a mortar or blender with 100 ml (6 tbsp.) extra-virgin olive oil to create a purée;
- Season with salt and pepper; strain.
Strawberry purée: Blend all the ingredients to obtain a smooth mixture.
Greens: Wash the greens; toss with strawberry vinaigrette; sprinkle with chopped chives and a few sprigs of chervil.
Sea water aspic:
- Bring 100 ml (6 tbsp.) sea water to a boil; add a sheet of gelatin and some chopped warmed chives; let thicken slowly.
- Cool slightly.
- Unmould the prawns which will be in an attractive dome shape; with a pastry brush generously apply the aspic to give the prawns an attractive gloss and to bring out all their nuances of flavour. Refrigerate until the aspic has set; repeat the procedure if necessary.
Presentation:
- Place 5 or 6 strawberries in a row on the side of the plate; season with pepper; add the vinaigrette and a few basil leaves.
- Create a ribbon around the plate with the black olive powder, another with the strawberry purée and another with the basil purée.
- Set the prawn dome in the centre;
- dip the greens into the vinaigrette and place a small bunch on top of the prawn dome.
- Add a small scoop of black olive ice cream;
- season the ice cream and the dried strawberries with some Maldon salt.