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LEEK AND LANGOUSTINES WITH SWEET CICELY AND FENNEL SAUCE

This is one for lovers of aniseed flavours – like me. The combination of fennel, sweet cicely and star anise packs an aniseed flavour punch against the sweet, delicate flavours of the langoustines and cream sauce. The whitecurrants are a lovely addition when in season as they add little bursts of sweetness and freshness. The recipe makes more oil than you will need, but it keeps in the freezer or for 3–5 days in the fridge – it might discolour over time but it’s still fine to use.

SERVES 4, AS A STARTER

Langoustine and cream sauce

12 whole large fresh langoustines

4 tbsp sunflower oil

2 shallots, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

1 celery stick, sliced

1 garlic clove, sliced

1 small leek, sliced

2 tsp tomato purée

1 star anise

1 bay leaf

200ml white wine

25ml Cognac

400ml White Chicken Stock

100ml double cream

juice of ½ lemon

Sweet cicely oil

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 star anise

200ml grapeseed oil

50g spinach

50g sweet cicely leaves and young stalks

Fennel and sweet cicely purée

1 tbsp lemon juice

325g fennel, thinly sliced

75ml double cream, reduced by half over a low heat

40g sweet cicely leaves

Wispy leeks

16 small baby leeks

a pinch of salt

whitecurrants, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and blanch the langoustines for 20 seconds. Remove and refresh in a bowl of iced water. When cold, remove the tails from the heads with a short twist and pull. Peel the tails carefully and set the meat to one side. Roast the heads and shells in a roasting tin in the oven for 15–20 minutes.

Warm 2 tablespoons of the sunflower oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, add all the vegetables and sweat them for 5–6 minutes. Add the tomato purée and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the star anise, bay leaf and roasted langoustine shells and heads, deglaze with the alcohol and reduce until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Cover with the chicken stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 2 hours. Strain through a fine sieve into a heavy-based saucepan over a low–medium heat and reduce by half. Add the cream and lemon juice and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve and leave to one side.

While the sauce is infusing, make the sweet cicely oil. Toast the fennel seeds and star anise in a small dry frying pan over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes. Warm the oil in a small, heavy-based saucepan until it reaches roughly 80°C (check with a thermometer) then add the toasted spices. Remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 1 hour. Bring a heavy-based saucepan of water to the boil over a high heat and blanch the spinach for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon, refresh in a bowl of iced water, drain and squeeze out the excess water. Blitz the cicely, blanched spinach, spices and oil in a blender until smooth. Strain the herb oil through a muslin-lined sieve and chill immediately.

To make the fennel and sweet cicely purée, stir together 250ml water and the lemon juice. Add the finely sliced fennel to the acidulated water and allow to soak for a couple of minutes, then drain and transfer the fennel to a plastic container. Cover with microwave-safe cling film and microwave on full power for 5–6 minutes. After this time check the fennel is soft; if it still has a firm texture, cook it in 1-minute blasts until the fennel is soft and tender. When cooked, squeeze off the excess liquid. Transfer the fennel to a blender along with the reduced cream and sweet cicely leaves. Blitz until smooth and pass through a fine sieve for a smoother texture. Chill to maintain the vibrant green colour. Warm slightly before serving.

Fry the leeks in a non-stick pan over a high heat in 1 tablespoon of the remaining sunflower oil for 2–3 minutes until slightly charred and crispy and season with a pinch of salt. Remove from the pan, add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan and cook the langoustines over a medium heat for 30 seconds on each side.

Drizzle each plate with the sauce and green oil, then divide the leeks and langoustines among the plates with the purée. Finish with whitecurrants that have been slightly warmed in the langoustine roasting tin.