- 30g/1oz butter
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stick, chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 12 langoustine tails, blanched, meat removed, shells reserved
- 5 tbsp white wine
- 300ml/10fl oz fish stock
- 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 100ml/3½fl oz dry vermouth
- 200ml/7fl oz stock (from above)
- 1 bay leaf
- 150ml/5fl oz double cream
- 150g/5½oz green grapes, peeled and cut in half
- ¼ cucumber, balled using a Parisian scoop
- 75g/2½oz unsalted butted
- 2 x lemon sole fillets, skinned, fillets halved and rolled up
- 2 tbsp fresh chervil
- selection of edible flowers
- For the stock, heat the butter in a saucepan and add the shallot, celery and thyme. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the langoustine shells and increase the heat. Add the white wine and fish stock and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and place in a large food processor. Blend everything together, including the shells. Pass through a sieve and set aside.
- For the sauce, heat a large sauté pan and add the butter. Once melted add the shallot and cook for 1 minute. Add the vermouth, stock and bay leaf and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by half. Add the cream and reduce by half again. Pass through a sieve into a clean pan. Add the grapes and cucumber balls and cook for 1 minute.
- To cook the sole, heat a large frying pan and add the butter. Once hot add the sole. Cook on each side until golden and cooked through. Add the langoustine meat and warm through.
- Put the sole fillets on a large plate and top with the langoustines. Pour the sauce around the plate and garnish with the fresh chervil and edible flowers.