Sea Shells In Sesame Ginger Lemongrass Crème Food

SEA SHELLS IN SESAME GINGER, LEMONGRASS CRèME

Steps:

• 1. Prepare pasta shells as directed on package. Drain pasta well. Line shells individually on a cookie sheet so they won't stick together or tear. Cover with a damp paper towel until ready to fill.
• 2. Place the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Let warm for 2 minutes then add the minced garlic, stirring often. Cook the garlic bits until golden. Line a plate with a paper towel. Remove garlic from pan onto lined plate. Using an additional paper towel pat the garlic dry to remove excess oil.
• 3. Using the same sauté pan, re-heat oil mixture over high heat until very hot. Stir in the lemongrass and ginger and a dash of red pepper flakes and sizzle for just a few seconds then place scallops in pan cook about 90 seconds on each side, edges will be golden. Pour half the lemon juice over the scallops let heat for 10 seconds and remove scallops from pan, allow to drain on paper towels. Next add shrimp to sauté pan, still on high heat { you will be working quickly}. Shrimp will turn pink on bottom side in 30 seconds, flip shrimp to reverse sides to finish cooking about another 30 seconds or until shrimp just begin to curl into the shape of the letter c. Do not over cook. Splash remaining lemon juice over shrimp in frying pan for the last ten seconds. Remove shrimp from pan and allow to drain on paper towel
• 4. 1. Remove sauté pan from burner for a few minutes to cool down. Return pan to stove top over medium heat and melt remaining 6 tablespoons of butter. Stir in flour with whisk until smooth. Continue stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Stir in milk, broth and wine. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove Crème sauce from heat.
• 5. Steam broccoli in microwave, according to package directions.
• 6. 3. Spoon a little sauce into a large casserole dish or individual ramekins then place pasta shells in a single layer into each dish. Fill each shell with scallops, shrimp and broccoli and a tablespoon of sauce. Garnish with crispy garlic, lemon zest and any remaining sauce. Serve at once while still warm.

GINGER & LEMON GRASS CRèME BRULéE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Place ginger and the lemongrass into a medium saucepan.
• Add the heavy cream and simmer gently for 25 minutes to infuse the flavours.
• Remove the infusion from the stove and strain through a fine sieve.
• In a mixing bowl whisk together the yolks, the sugar the lemon extract and the bitters.
• Slowly mix in the heavy cream infusion.
• Pour into ramekins or an oven casserole dish. Remove any foam from the top of mixture with a teaspoon.
• Place ramekins into a large casserole dish and pour hot water until the level is halfway up the sides of the ramekin dish. Put into oven and bake until the custard is firm (the center should jiggle just a little when you shake it) approximately 40 -50 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and completely cool before you cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• To serve.
• Sprinkle the top with granulated sugar and using a blow torch caramelize the sugar. The oven broiler can be used in place of the torch.
• Place the ramekins in a tray of cold water and ice and leave in the broiler for 3-5 minutes--just enough to caramelize the sugar.
• Variations: 1/4 teaspoon grated lime peel can be substituted for the lemon grass.

BAKED SEA BASS WITH LEMONGRASS & GINGER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Wash the sea bass inside and out, and pat dry with kitchen paper. Score across the fish and through the skin 4-5 times on each side, then lay the fish on a large piece of oiled foil, big enough to wrap it up loosely.
• Put the lemongrass, chillies, garlic and ginger into a mortar with the honey and 1 tbsp of the oil. Squeeze in the juice of one of the limes. Bash a few times with the pestle until everything's bruised - there's no need to grind it finely.
• Season the fish inside and out. Scrape out half the pounded mixture over the fish, add the last of the oil and rub everything in, making sure you push some into the cuts.
• Cut the second lime into quarters and push two pieces into the cavity along with the remainder of the pounded mixture. Fold each kaffir lime leaf in half and tear out the central vein to give you two halves. Push these into the cavity, too.
• Squeeze the juice from the last two lime quarters over the fish and pull the sides of the foil up to create a loose parcel. Crimp the edges to seal, making sure there is some space around the fish.
• Bake for 25 minutes. If you're eating the fish straight away, let it rest for about 5 minutes before opening the parcel. If you're taking it to a picnic, wrap it in another layer of foil the minute it's out of the oven.

VANILLA LEMONGRASS CRèME BRûLéE

Steps:

• Mix the cream with the lemongrass in a pan, then bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Pour into a bowl, cover and infuse in the fridge for 6 hrs.
• Heat oven to 120C/100C fan/gas ½. Whisk the sugar with the egg yolks. Warm the lemongrass cream to 50C, strain through a sieve, then whisk it into the egg mixture, along with the vanilla seeds. Pour the mixture into six ramekins.
• Put the ramekins in a roasting tin and pour in hot water to halfway up their outside. Bake for 1 hr-1 hr 15 mins until set with a slight wobble. Remove the ramekins from the tin, cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 3 hrs. Before serving, sprinkle some sugar over each ramekin and caramelise with a blowtorch until golden brown.