Text 29515, 91 rader
Skriven 2009-10-04 19:08:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
Ärende: Zen 3
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MMMMM-----Meal-Master - formatted by MMCONV  2.10

     Title: Pasta Alla Chitarra With Sea Urchin & Langoustines
Categories: Appetizers, Italian, Pasta, Lobster
  Servings: 4

           FOR THE LANGOUSTINE BROTH:
      8    langoutines, heads removed
           roughly chopped, reserve
           tails
      2 TB olive oil
      1 sm onion, chopped
      1    branch celery, chopped
      1 sm carrot, chopped
      2    cloves garlic, smashed
      2 TB tomato paste
    3/4 c  dry white wine
      1 sm BOUQUET GARNI:
           thyme, parsley stems,
           tarragon and bay leaf
      1    strip lemon zest
      2 c  water
           FOR THE PASTA SAUCE:
      8 oz fresh sea urchin
      4 TB butter, softened
      1 ts piment d'espelette
           sea salt to taste
      1 c  langoustine broth (see
           above)
           TO FINISH:
           langoustines tails
      2 TB butter
           salt and piment d'espelette
           to taste
     12    snow peas, julienned
      1 lb pasta alla chitarra, or
           spaghetti

Pasta alla chitarra is a specialty of the Abruzzo region of italy. A
Chitarra is the tool (instrument?) used to cut fresh pasta into
strands. It's basically a frame strung with music wire that looks
just like a guitar, hence the name. Think of pasta alla chitarra as
a square spaghetti with a rough edge, a texture that's particularly
suitable to this kind of creamy sauce.

For the langoustines broth: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan
and add the chopped langoustine heads. Cook until they begin to
brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, the celery, the carrot, the
garlic and continue cooking until they soften and start to stick to
the bottom of the pot. Add the tomato paste and continue cooking for
another 3 minutes while stirring frequently. Deglaze with the white
wine and reduce until almost nothing is left. Add the bouquet garni,
the strip of lemon and the water and bring to a boil. Simmer gently
until you have about 1 cup of liquid left, about 20 minutes. When
ready you should have a flavorful shellfish broth. Strain the liquid
and reserve. Discard the solids.

For the pasta sauce: Place the sea urchin, the softened butter, the
espelette pepper and a good pinch of sea salt in the bowl of a food
processor and process to a smooth puree. Strain the mixture or pass
it through a tamis. If not using right away, cover and reserve in
the refrigerator. If ready to proceed, place one cup of langoustine
broth into a large pan and bring to a boil. Whisk in the sea urchin
mixture until smooth, do not boil it. You should have a very creamy
pasta sauce. If it gets too thick (and it will) use some of the
pasta cooking water to bring it to the right consistency.

To finish the dish: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. It
should taste like the sea. Cook the pasta to al dente. Drain it and
toss it in the sauce. While the pasta is cooking, saute the
langoustine tails in butter. Season to taste with salt and piment
d'espelette and toss them in the pasta and the sauce. Dress the
pasta in individual bowls or family style, top with the julienned
snow peas and serve immediately.

Inspired by Esca

From: Zen, Www.Zencancook.Com
 
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Cheers

YK Jim


... An object at rest will always be in the wrong place.

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