Langoustine with Ginger Beer & Avocado

A light starter by Bart van Berkel that will seriously impress your guests. Make sure you get your hands on super-fresh langoustines from the best fishmonger in the area.

The little creatures may look somewhat intimidating, but cleaning them is quick and easy. The soft avocado cream, crispy papadum and the sweet-and-sour dressing complement the raw langoustine meat perfectly.

Preparation

Gather the kitchen equipment. Weigh and measure all the ingredients, prepare them and/or chill them.

Remove the heads with scissors, the shells and the digestive tracts from the langoustines.

Method
Cut or grind the langoustines into tartare using a food processor. Season with the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate the langoustine tartare until ready to use.

Make a sweet-and-sour mixture with the ginger beer and sushi vinegar. Use a grater or mandoline to shave the cucumber into thin, long strips and remove the seed core. Place the cucumber strips in the sweet-and-sour mixture. Cut the apple into thin slices 2–3 mm thick. Use an apple corer to cut circles from the apple slices. Add them to the cucumber in the sweet-and-sour mixture.

Avocado cream
For the avocado cream, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until fine and mousse-like. Keep covered and chilled until ready to use.

Prepare the langoustines.

Make a dressing with 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp of the ginger beer sweet-and-sour mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Grease a heatproof pan or baking tray with a little oil and place the langoustines on it belly-side up. Sear them with a crème brûlée torch until they start to curl. Turn them over and sear them lightly. Then brush them with the dressing so they shine beautifully. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground white pepper.

Papadum

Bake the papadum according to the package instructions. Or, for a quick method: brush it with olive oil. Lightly sprinkle with paprika and cayenne pepper. Set the largest gas burner to medium heat and hold the papadum in a steel sieve above the flame, moving it continuously. Once the entire papadum has curled up and puffed up with bubbles, it is ready.

Plating

Fill a ring mould greased with olive oil with a portion of langoustine tartare, followed by a layer of avocado cream approximately 5 mm thick. Carefully remove the ring mould. Place the roasted langoustine in the centre and then arrange three apple circles around it. Roll the cucumber strips into a
tube and place them beside the apple, around the langoustine. Break the papadum into pieces and garnish the plate.

Tip

Langoustine tails are also delicious when briefly smoked.

Wine recommendation

Spain, Rías Baixas, Marqués de Cáceres Deusa Nai – Albariño (specialist wine shops, Spar)

Discover the chef’s secret
Bart van Berkel
€ 29,95
Image: Bart van Berkel