Seared Scottish langoustine, quails' eggs in crisp baguette, marinated wild mushrooms, foie gras hollandaise – by Robert Thompson
Ingredients
(Serves four as a starter)
100g foie gras trimmings
250g unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
10ml white wine vinegar reduction (infused with tarragon, peppercorns, bay leaf and thyme)
Lemon juice
Seasoning
500g wild mushrooms (select carefully at this time of year)
200ml 0.3% olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
5 sprigs thyme
12 quails' eggs
1 medium white baguette
12 large live langoustines
Cream
100ml olive oil
20ml cèpe oil
100g mixed salad leaves (shiso, tatsoi, frisée, chard)
30ml sherry vinegar
Olive oil
Method
First, pan fry the foie gras and transfer to pan with the butter. Leave on the edge of the stove to clarify.
Whisk the egg yolks and reduction over simmering water until thick. Slowly add the clarified butter until hollandaise consistency. Season, and add a little lemon juice.
Clean the wild mushrooms and pick into smaller pieces. Blanch very quickly in boiling water and drain. Warm the olive oil with the garlic clove and thyme. Add the wild mushrooms and leave on the edge of the stove (not boiling) to infuse.
Poach the quails' eggs and refresh on ice. Cut the baguette into very thin slices. Form 12 x 3cm-wide strips of the bread then wrap each quail's egg in the bread.
Separate the tails of the langoustines, remove the pipe (bowel) and blanch tails for 10 seconds in fast-boiling water. Refresh in plenty of ice. Peel the langoustines, leaving the tail fins on.
Roast the langoustine bones and make a stock. Reduce stock until very strong and add a little cream. Season. Split the cream out with 100ml of olive oil. This can be dressed around the plate.
To serve, quickly sear the langoustines, warm the quails' eggs on the bottom shelf of the grill until the bread has coloured slightly and place a little cèpe oil on each egg.
Dress the plate with some wild mushrooms, three quails' eggs and three langoustines. Dress the salad leaves with sherry vinegar and olive oil and arrange around. Finish with the foie gras hollandaise and the optional langoustine reduction.
Robert Thompson, head chef, Winteringham Fields
