French Corner: Bouillabaisse en Chaud-Froid (May 2016)

Welcome to the "French Corner", the Consulate’s monthly rendez-vous dedicated to the promotion of France’s culture and patrimony, in video! This month discover our recipe from Provence: Bouillabaisse en Chaud-Froid, as prepared by Chef François Grayon of La Voile Brookline.

Filmed at La Voile Brookline, 1627 Beacon St, Brookline

Bouillabaisse en Chaud-Froid

Recipe courtesy of Chef François Grayon of La Voile Brookline, 1627 Beacon St, Brookline.

Serves four people

Ingredients

  • 12 scallops
  • 12 prawns
  • 2 zucchini
  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 6 baby artichokes
  • 4 stems of lavender
  • 4 stems of thyme
  • garlic
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 shot of Cognac
  • 3.5g (? tsp.) agar agar powder

Directions

  • Peel and devein the prawns, keeping the shells aside.
  • Preparing the prawn bisque: cook the prawn shells in olive oil over high heat with the diced onion, carrot, and tomato. Flambé with the shot of Cognac. Allow the bisque to reduce for several minutes before adding ? liter (3 cups) of water. Bring down to low heat for 30 minutes, occasionally stirring the bisque.
  • During this time, prepare the ratatouille: roughly chop the vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, and red bell pepper) into a mirepoix. Sauté the vegetables in olive oil separately and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the refrigerator.
  • Peel the artichokes and place in water with a lemon cut into four quarters to prevent browning. Sauté the artichokes with lemon in olive oil with unpeeled whole cloves of garlic. Add salt and pepper, a stem of lavender and a stem of thyme. Add ? cup of water, cover and allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Sieve the prawn bisque, retaining the liquid. Set aside ? liter (2 cups) of the bisque, season to taste and boil in a saucepan with the agar agar powder. Allow this mixture to come to a boil while stirring to dissolve the agar agar.
  • Prepare four circular molds, closing one end of the mold with plastic wrap. Spoon the ratatouille into the molds and fill with the prawn bisque/agar agar mixture to the height of the ratatouille. Chill in the refrigerator until the mixture gelatinizes. Remove from the molds onto four plates.
  • Sauté the scallops and prawns in olive oil, then set the frying pan aside. Using a stem of lavender, skewer one scallop and one prawn, placing the entire skewer into the gelatinous ratatouille. Place the remaining scallops and shrimp, as well as the artichokes, on the plate.
  • With the same frying pan used to sauté the scallops and prawns, create the sauce by deglazing the pan with the remaining prawn bisque. Reduce over high heat with butter. With a spoon, place the sauce on the plate.

Et voilà! Bonne dégustation!

French Corner is our monthly rendez-vous where we showcase a French region and introduce you to its highlights and secrets, appeal to your palate and culinary talents with our local recipe of the month and fspotlight France’s scientific and educational competitiveness with school and universities of the region!

Last modified on 20/05/2016

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