INGREDIENTS
20 baby squids, no tentacles
Salt and pepper
100g scallops, fresh no roe
1 spoon tarragon, blanched
1 egg white
Pinch Salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
40ml whipping cream
¼ lemon, juiced
20ml clarified butter
¼ lemon, juiced
1 garlic clove, chopped
Salt and pepper
Garnish
150ml braised tomato sauce
4 squid tentacles tempura fried
20g basil leaves, shredded
For the Braised Tomato Sauce:
1 kg ripe plum tomatoes
90ml olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 tsp white peppercorns, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
60g tomato puree
30g caster sugar
90ml white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 basil sprig
Handful of parsley stalks
300ml chicken stock
100ml wine
Salt to taste
Recipe continues
METHOD
Preheat the grill to maximum.
Have the bodies of the squid cleaned and ready to go, salt and pepper and chopped garlic on top. Keep the tentacles as a garnish. The bodies must be very clean inside and all the skin removed. Wash in running cold water, once ready dry on kitchen towel until later.
In a blender place the scallops and blend until smooth. Add the blanched tarragon and egg and blend again until smooth. Add a pinch of salt, cayenne pepper and the cream. Blend until velvety and smooth. Season with a little lemon juice and place in the fridge to relax for 20 minutes.
Once ready place the scallop mousse into a piping bag and fill the squid pouches with the scallop mousse. Once filled place on a tray and brush with a little lemon juice and clarified butter. Season with salt and black pepper.
Reheat the braised tomato sauce and add a little shredded basil leaves, check seasoning. Keep hot.
Place the squids under the hot grill and cook for 5 minutes on one side. Turn over and cook for a further 3 minutes. Season with a little lemon juice once ready.
Garnish the squid parcels with the tentacles cooked in a tempura batter for a good visual look and different texture.
For the Braised Tomato Sauce:
Halve, deseed and dice the tomatoes and set aside
Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan, add the carrot, celery and onion and fry until golden brown.
Add the pepper, bay leaf, thyme and tomato puree and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes. In another pan, dissolve the sugar in the vinegar and boil to reduce down to light syrup.
Add the wine to the vegetables and let it bubble to reduce by half. Add the garlic, basil, parsley and stock, then the syrupy mix and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and gently simmer for about 1 hour, skimming and stirring occasionally. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve, season and reheat and serve.
To serve: Place a large spoonful of tomato sauce in the centre of 4 warmed plates then arrange the squid along-side and tentacle garnish. Serve immediately.