Cauliflower’s recent popularity has made it a favorite among chefs and others who tout its many health benefits. The brassica’s subtle flavor serves as a wonderful base for all manner of ingredients, as you’ll find in this recipe for Cauliflower velouté with langoustine, orange zest and pistachio.
Cooked cauliflower pairs beautifully with other ingredients when puréed into a smooth, luxurious velouté. But how exactly would you describe the flavor of this unassuming vegetable? To start, cauliflower contains both alliaceous (onion-like) and citrus notes similar to that of orange peels. As you can see in the aroma tree below, the latter links directly to vanilla, which, in turn, provides a link to Norway lobsters, or langoustines.
These crustaceans have their own apple and rose-like aromas and a natural sweetness that pair especially well with the vanilla-infused oil. Orange zest confit accents of this dish.
“To balance the sweetness of the langoustines and candied orange peels, we add a splash of orange juice for just a bit of tartness.”
Sprinkle some toasted pistachios for a nutty crunch, and this Cauliflower velouté is sure to tantalize the palate.
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Langoustine ceviche (Serves 4 persons)
preparation
- 6 Norway lobsters (langoustines), shelled and de-veined
- Arbequiña extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- salt & fresh pepper, to taste
Halve the langoustines, length-wise. In a bowl, drizzle the langoustines with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Marinate for 1 hour.
Cauliflower velouté
preparation
- ½ head of cauliflower
- vegetable stock
- salt & fresh pepper, to taste
Separate the cauliflower into florets. Cook until al dente in salted, boiling water and drain. Blend the florets until you have a smooth purée.
Simmer the purée over low heat and dilute with vegetable stock until desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Vanilla bean-infused oil
preparation
- ½ Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise
- 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
Using the back of a knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean pod. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and vanilla bean seeds. Allow to infuse for 1 hour.
Orange zest confit
preparation
- 1 orange
- 50 g water
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp pistachios, coarsely chopped and toasted
Remove the zest from your orange. Transfer the zest to a small saucepan of cold water and bring to a boil. Drain and rinse the zest with cold water. Repeat and reserve.
Next, juice the orange. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine 50 grams of water, 50 grams of orange juice and granulated sugar. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves and reduces into a syrup. Then add the orange zest and confit slowly.
To serve
Ladle the cauliflower velouté into the soup plates. Arrange 3 langoustines atop the velouté. Garnish with candied orange zest, chopped pistachios and a few drops of the vanilla-infused oil.
