Nage of Alaskan Prawn with Chanterelles & Green Asparagus

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 Alaskan Prawns
• 2 cups Nage
• 4.2 oz Chanterelle mushrooms
• 12 Medium, green asparagus spears
• 1 Large ripe tomato
• 2 sprigs Chives, chopped, for garnish
• 4 leaves Fresh mint, julienned
• 4 sprigs Chervil
• 4 tbsp Butter
•  Salt and white pepper

Nage

• 1.88 cups Dry white wine
• 1 cup Water
• 4.2 oz Carrots, medium-diced
• 4.2 oz Onions, medium-diced
• 3.15 oz Shallots, chopped
• 3.2 oz Celery stalks with leaves, chopped
• 2 Garlic gloves, skinned
• 2 Cloves
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 sprig Parsley
• 1 sprig Fresh thyme
• ½  Lemon, skin removed, sliced
• Salt, white pepper, cayenne pepper

NAGE:  Bring the water and wine to a boil.  Add the vegetables, aromatic hers and lemon slices.  Bring to a boil again and simmer for 30 minutes, then add salt and pepper to taste.  Strain through a fine sieve and cool.

VEGETABLES:  Remove the skin and seeds from the tomatoes.  Finely dice and set aside.  Cut the asparagus spears into 12-cm lengths and blanch in boiling salted water.  Thinly slice lower half of the spears into 1/8” pieces.  This portion will be used with the diced tomatoes as a garnish.

PRAWN:  Remove the shells from the prawn and place meat in pot together with the nage.  Bring to a quick boil, add the chanterelles and simmer slowly until the prawn meat is almost done.  Remove the pot from the heat.

Add the asparagus and tomato garnish to the hot nage.  Heat gently.  Remove the lobster tails and cut them in half lengthwise.

FINISH AND SERVE:  For each serving, place three lobster halves in a soup plate and add three asparagus tips.  Meanwhile, whip cold butter cubes into the nage over low heat. 

To obtain a creamy consistency when whipping in the butter, make sure that the stock is hot but not boiling.  The small cubes of butter must be very cold.  Add them piece by piece to the nage and whisk briskly until all the butter has been absorbed and sauce is of the desired consistency.  Keep the sauce warm.  Do no overheat or it will curdle.

This should produce a creamy emulsion.  Season to taste, then add the chopped chives.  Carefully pour the nage evenly over the lobster in each soup plate.  Sprinkle with julienne of mint and chervil sprigs.  Serve immediately.

The Raffles Hotel Cookbook

page 55