COQUILLES SAINT JACQUES MORNAY & LOBSTER THERMIDOR, FOLLOWED WITH SLOW ROASTED BRAISED BEAUJOLAIS LAMB & TO FINISH OFF VANILLA & LAVENDER PANNA COTTA
ST JACQUES MORNAY SAUCE
TO MAKE THIS A STRESS FREE LOVING ROMANTIC MEAL, THAT YOU DON'T SPEND ALL YOUR TIME IN THE KITCHEN, I MAKE THE COURT BOULLION, THE MORNAY, THE THERMIDOR, REDUCE THE LAMB STOCK, GRATE THE CHEESE, CHOP THE BUTTER, CLEAN THE LOBSTER AND SCALLOPS ALL IN THE DAY, SO IT IS REALLY A QUICK ASSEMBLY JOB TO SERVE, AND THE LAMB WELL THAT TAKES CARE OF IT'S SELF, JUST PEEL THE POTATOES AND LEAVE IN WATER AND PREP ALL THE VEG READY TO STEAM/BOIL. THIS WILL GIVE YOU MORE TIME FOR SMOOCHING...
COQUILLES ST JACQUES MORNAY
6 fresh scallops on the shell
50g butter
1 shallot fine diced
45g plain flour
400ml milk
250g Gruyere grated
Season to taste
POACHING COURT BOUILLON
200ml dry white wine
500ml water
1 shallot fine diced
1 carrot fine diced
1 bay leaf
6 whole black peppercorns
Clean the scallops from the shell, I like to remove the coral, then the foot and peel off the membrane. I never rinse my scallops, as they can absorb some of the water. These are now ready to poach.
Make the mornay sauce then pre heat the grill, when you put the scallops in to poach, pop the scallop shells under the grill to warm through.
In a pan put all the court bouillon ingredients and bring to a boil, simmer for 20 minutes, then strain and return to the pan. Bring to a gently simmer and add the scallops and poach the scallops over a low heat for 2 minutes then drain and return the scallops to their shells and spoon over the mornay sauce and pop back under the grill for a couple on minutes to brown off.
TO MAKE THE MORNAY SAUCE
Melt the butter gently and add the shallot cook for a few minutes without cooking then add the flour to make the roux, cook on a gentle heat for a couple of minutes without colouring, start to add the milk a ladle at a time mixing well and cook for approx 10 minutes after all the milk has been absorbed. Add the cheese, season to taste, keep warm.
LOBSTER THERMIDOR
INGREDIENTS
1 lobster
55g butter
50g butter again
55g flour
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp dry mustard
125ml fish stock
1 shallot fine diced
1 tsp tarragon fine diced
125ml milk
100g Parmesan grated
THE LOBSTER
I have a great fishmonger who if I pre order he will cook my lobster for me as I arrive to collect and it will be just ever so under done, he then cuts it in half length way for me ready for me to clean. Take out the meat and roughly dice, leave to one side.
MAKE THE THERMIDOR SAUCE
Make the themidor sauce, melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and mustard powder, cook out gently for a few minutes, slowly add the milk, stirring all the time until all absorbed, cook on for 20 minutes gently add the Parmesan and then season if needed, keep warm.
Put the lobster shells under the grill to warm through while you melt the remaining butter in a pan and gently pan fry the lobster chunks for two minutes, spoon in some of the thermidor sauce into the lobster shells and then place the meat on top and then top with more thermidor sauce and sprinkle with some grated Parmesan and place back under the grill until golden brown and bubbling, serve immediately.
BEAUJOLAIS LAMB, RICH RED WINE REDUCTION, CRISPY FLUFFY ROAST POTATOES & PEAS, BROCCOLI & BUTTER TOSSED GREENS
SEARED LAMB ADDING FLAVOUR READY TO ROAST
SEARED WHOLE SHALLOTS, CELERY, WHOLE CARROTS, PEPPERCORNS, ROSEMARY
AND A WHOLE BOTTLE OF BEAUJOLAIS
FABULOUS LAMBY RED WINE GRAVY
INGREDIENTS
Local fresh leg of lamb
4 whole shallots
2 whole carrots peeled
2 sticks celery
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
10 peppercorns
1 bottle Beaujolais wine
Water
125g butter cubed
150ml reduced lamb stock
1 tsp redcurrant jelly
Seasoning
oil for searing
In a hot non stick frying pan add some oil and sear all sides of the lamb, add to your roasting/casserole dish, now brown off the whole shallots and add to the dish, place in the carrots, celery, peppercorns, rosemary and Beaujolais wine, top up a little with water to 3/4 cover the lamb, place a lid of tin foil on and then the lid on, this will help seal in all the steam and flavour. Place in a pre heated oven 200 degrees for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 170 for next 2.5hrs.
Part boil your King Edward potatoes for 15 minutes in salted water, drain, toss then season well, throw in some hot goose fat and roast for 45 minutes until crispy and fluffy.
Meanwhile bring a pan of water to a rolling boil or a steamer and add the broccoli after a couple of minutes add the peas and then after a few more minutes add the sliced greens, once cooked drain and toss in a few generous knobs of butter and season well.
THE RED WINE REDUCTION GRAVY
Strain off the Beaujolais from the cooked lamb, and if a fair bit reduce down to approx 300ml ish, add the reduced lamb stock (reduced by half) and bring to a rolling simmer, add the butter and whisk well to thicken, you can add more butter if you find the gravy a little to thin, stir in the redcurrant jelly and taste, you may find the gravy needs a teaspoon of sugar if tart, season to taste.
VANILLA PANNA COTTA
INGREDIENTS
300ml whole milk
300ml double cream
4 leaves of gelatin
1 vanilla pod
3 drops lavender essence
So quick and easy, place the gelatin leaves in cold water for a few minutes to soften. Split the vanilla pod length ways and scrape out all the seeds, add both to a sauce pan, add the milk and cream and bring to a simmer, take off the heat and remove the vanilla pod, stir in the gelatin leaves well and decant to a pouring jug, this will fill four nice sized ramekins, place in the fridge to set. Serve in the ramekins or place the ramekin in a bowl of hot water to loosen the panna cotta and turn out and decorate, red current and blueberry compote is great with this. I served it plain as this is how my fabulous husband loves it.
