French Fare: Pan-Fried Lobster And Scallop Ravioli

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Michel Roux Jr. is one of Britain's most celebrated French chefs, helming renowned London restaurant Le Gavroche and author of the new cookbook The French Kitchen. Not for the beginner, yet not so advanced you'd need two Michelin stars like Roux to pull them off, these recipes honor the foundation of classic French cuisine while looking to the future. This fine French-Italian hybrid of delicate shellfish and handmade pasta will certainly impress the food critic in your life.

Reprinted with permission from The French Kitchen

French Fare: Pan-Fried Lobster And Scallop Ravioli
No Ratings
Prep Time
1
hour
Cook Time
1.75
hours
Servings
0
servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup free-range egg whites
  • 3 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • 8 large scallops (white meat only)
  • 1 pound cooked lobster
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 2 shallots
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 sprigs marjoram
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 6 sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
  • 2 cups lobster stock
  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 6 pounds lobster heads
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 celery ribs
  • 4 parsley stalks
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato puree
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon brandy
  • 1 1/4 cups dry white wine
  • 2 quarts fish stock
  • 1 quart veal stock
  • sea salt
  • 3 pounds veal knuckle bones
  • 1 calf's foot
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 large carrots
  • 1 celery rib
  • 5 quarts water
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 1/2 tablespoon tomato
Directions
  1. :::veal stock:::
  2. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Put the bones and calf’s foot in a roasting pan with a little oil and roast them in the oven, turning occasionally, until brown all over. Transfer them to a large saucepan.
  3. Put the onion, carrots, and celery into the roasting pan and roast them in the oven until golden, turning frequently with a wooden spatula. Pour off any excess fat and put the vegetables into the saucepan with the bones. Place the roasting pan over high heat and add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any caramelized bits, then pour everything into the saucepan with the bones.
  4. Add the remaining ingredients and 4½ cups water and bring to a boil. Skim off the scum and fat, then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 3½ hours, skimming occasionally. Pass the stock through a fine sieve and let cool. The stock can be kept in the fridge for up to 7 days, or it can be frozen.
  5. :::lobster stock:::
  6. I’ve specified lobster heads because the claws and body have little flavor, although you can add them if you have room in the pan. Add langoustine and prawn heads, too, if you have them.
  7. Crush the lobster heads with a mallet or a rolling pin until they are well broken up. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and sweat the onion, carrot, and celery. When the vegetables are lightly browned, add the herbs and lobster heads, stirring to prevent them from sticking to the pan. After about 5 minutes, stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree, and cayenne pepper. Pour in the brandy and stir well for a couple of minutes, then add the wine and boil for at least 3 minutes.
  8. Add the stocks and bring to a boil, then season lightly with sea salt. Simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and skimming off any scum that appears on the surface.
  9. Drain the stock through a colander set over a large bowl, pressing the lobster heads well to extract all the juices and flavor. Then pass this liquid through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, bring it to a boil and skim. The stock can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days, or it can be frozen.
  10. :::ravioli:::
  11. First make the pasta dough. Put the flour in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and knead to make an elastic, but not sticky, dough. Leave the dough to rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, then roll it out on the ‘0’ setting on a pasta machine.
  12. Chop the scallops into ⅛-inch dice. Break up the lobster, cutting the tail into quarters for the garnish. Extract all the rest of the lobster meat and cut into ¼-inch dice, then mix with the diced scallops and season with salt and a generous amount of pepper.
  13. The shape of the ravioli is up to you, but the simplest method is to cut the pasta dough into 24 rounds about 2½ inches in diameter. Divide the scallop and lobster filling among 12 of the rounds. Brush the borders with water to moisten, then top with the remaining rounds and press down well around the edges to seal.
  14. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil, add the ravioli, and cook for 4 minutes. Remove the ravioli and plunge them into iced water to stop the cooking, then carefully drain and dry on a cloth and lightly drizzle them with olive oil. Keep the ravioli refrigerated until needed.
  15. For the sauce, put the shallots, garlic, and marjoram in a pan with the white wine and boil until the liquid has almost completely evaporated. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and lobster stock, then bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve, then pour it back into the pan, season, and finish with the cold butter to thicken and shine. Keep the sauce warm while you finish the ravioli.
  16. Pan-fry the ravioli in a hot nonstick pan until golden on both sides and hot inside. Serve in warm bowls with the piping hot sauce and garnish with diced tomatoes and lobster claws and a few marjoram leaves.
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