DUBAI'S CIGALI LOBSTER:
INGREDIENTS:
4 X400-600 g cigal lobsters, meat and intact shells separated
To prepare the cigal lobster for the marinade, place the meat in a bowl and set aside the shell for later.
Masala marinade for cigali lobster
2 tbsp whipping cream
15 g emmental cheese, grated
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 tbsp mustard oil
1 egg white
Salt and white pepper, just a pinch of each
2-3 tbsp melted butter for basting
Spicy cucumber and onion sambal for garnish
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
METHOD:
- Place the cream, cheese and cardamom powder in a bowl and mix together. Add the mustard oil and mix in well.
- Add the egg white to the mixture in the bowl and mix together. Cover the lobster meat with the marinade and leave it covered in a plastic wrap in the fridge for 30 minutes (no longer than 2 hours).
- Preheat the oven grill to medium hot, or prepare a barbecue fire to obtain perfectly burnt-off , grey-hot coals that are very hot.[ can be baked in a preheated 220C oven].
- Press the lobster meat onto a metal skewer and grill over the coals. Baste the lobster with clarified butter as it cooks to get a really good golden colour and to keep it moist.
- Place the reserved lobster shell on the grid next to the lobster to roast the shell at the same time as the lobster. Grill them for 7 minutes. Season them with salt and freshly ground black pepper while cooking.
- To serve, place the grilled lobster meat into the roasted shells and serve with fresh limes. An optional serving (see picture): leave them on the skewers and top with a cheese sauce, sprinkled with red chilli powder and paprika and serve them with the spicy cucumber and onion sambal stuffed into the shells.
Spicy cucumber and onion sambal
Ingredients
2 medium cucumber
3/4 cup cup rice-wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 small red onion, slivered
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin matchsticks
1 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 green chilli, finely chopped
Preparation
- Use a vegetable peeler to pare 4 lengthwise strips from each cucumber. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds with a small spoon and cut into thin diagonal slices.
- Combine vinegar,salt in a medium bowl and stir well. Add cucumbers, onions, bell pepper, green chilli, shallot and crushed red pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Drain vinegar from the vegetables and serve.
Tips: To prepare the cigali lobster for the marinade: remove the head, and cut down lengthwise along the middle of the shell without cutting through to the meat. Gently remove the flesh in one whole piece from the shell- if you are a bit squeamish, ask the fishmonger at the fish counter to prepare it for you.
Spread this marinade over any other kind of lobster, prawns or any seafood and marinate for 20 minutes before cooking.
DYNAMITE SPIDER ROLL:
INGREDIENTS: (serves 1)
1 soft-shell crab
1/2 nori sheet (10X10cm)
30 g sushi rice, cooked al dente
10 g orange Tobiko caviar
Chilli mayonnaise, to taste
10 g julienned cucumber
5-6 chives, sliced
Wasabi tobiko ( flying fish roe) to garnish
METHOD:
- Deep -fry crab until crisp. Keep hot.
- Lay nori sheet on a sushi -rolling mat. Spread sushi rice over it, leaving about 1cm free at each end to stick together later.
- Spread orange Tobiko on top of the rice.
- Squeeze over chilli mayonnaise.
- Roll the nori sheet to create a tube and stick the ends together. Slice into 5 pieces.
- To serve, place prepared rolls and deep -fried crab on a plate. Arrange cucumber juliennes and chives on top. Garnish with wasabi tobiko.
SALT - GRILLED SEABASS:
INGREDIENTS: (serves 2-3)
700 g seabass, trimmed and filleted
10-15 g sea salt
1 bamboo leaves, as required
1 lemon wedges, to garnish
For burnt tomato relish
4 large tomatoes
2 onions, finely chopped
10 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
15 g fresh coriander leaves, chopped
10 ml ginger juice
Chilli oil, to taste
METHOD:
- Skewer seabass fillets. Sprinkle a little water over the fillets and season with sea salt. Grill skin side down until crisp. Turn fillet over to cook the flesh side. Once cooked, remove skewers and place fillets on bamboo leaves.
- To make tomato relish, roast tomatoes either with a blowtorch or on the hob, until skin splits and chars. Cool. Remove skin and deseed. Dice into chunks.
- In a bowl, mix together diced tomato, onion, jalapeno pepper and coriander leaves.
- Add ginger juice and chilli oil. Adjust seasoning. Set aside.
- Serve prepared seabass fillets with a slice of lemon and tomato relish.
TUNA TATAKI:
INGREDIENTS: (serves 4)
160 g tuna loin, seasoned with salt and pepper
Oil, as required
2 red onions, sliced
1 dried red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
5 g ginger, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
20 ml each, soy sauce and non-alcoholic sake
15 g castor sugar
10 g daikon (Japanese radish), grated
20 ml rice vinegar
100 ml ponzu sauce (citrus-based Japanese sauce)
8 g garlic, sliced and deep-fried, to garnish
2 stalks spring onions, finely sliced, to garnish
METHOD:
- Sear tuna in a very hot pan with a little oil for about 10 seconds. Set aside.
- In a pan, saute onions in a little oil until translucent. Add chilli, ginger and garlic. Saute until aromatic.
- Add soy sauce, non-alcoholic sake, sugar and vinegar. Simmer for a couple of minutes and take it off the heat. Sieve mixture and set aside.
- Mix daikon and ponzu together. Set aside.
- Take four portions of the onion mixture, sieve, and place in bowls.
- Cut seared tuna into 24 slices. Roll each slices to form a pyramid shape.
- Place 6 slices of tuna in each bowl. Pour daikon and ponzu mixture over the tuna in each bowl.
- Garnish with garlic chips and spring onion.
SALMON TARTARE WITH LEMON GRASS:
INGREDIENTS: (serves 2)
For spicy lemon sauce:
10 g shallots, sliced
10 g lemon grass, finely sliced
3 g lime leaves, chiffonaded
5 g mint leaves chiffonaded
3 g Thai parsley chopped
3 g spring onion, sliced
3 g bird's eye chilli, chopped
25 ml each, lime juice and fish sauce
For salmon
180 g fresh salmon, diced
For serving
5 g each, lettuce, mint leaves and Thai string beans, for garnish
METHOD:
- In a bowl, mix together shallots, lemon grass, lime leaves, mint, parsley, spring onion and chilli. Add lime juice and fish sauce. Combine well. Strain to separate liquid. Set aside.
- Place diced salmon in a mould. Pour on liquid portion of the prepared sauce. Chill for a few hours.
- When ready to serve, place lettuce, mint and string beans on a plate. Turn mould over. Layer the solid part of the prepared sauce over the mould. Serve cold.
Note: A cooking technique where leaves or greens are cut into long, thin strips or ribbons.
CHANG MAI HAR:
INGREDIENTS: (serves 1)
100 g tiger prawns, peeled
1 tbsp lemon extract
3 tbsp oil, for sauteeing
10 g green chilli
5 g Thai ginger
5 g minced garlic
100 ml coconut milk
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
5 lemon leaves
2 lemon grass stalks
20 g fish sauce
black pepper, crushed, pinch
1 cup chicken soup stock
1 tsp fresh coriander, chopped
METHOD:
- Marinate prawn in lemon extract and blanch for 10 seconds. Drain and set aside. Do not discard lemon extract.
- Heat oil in a wok, saute green chilli, ginger and garlic until light golden brown. Add coconut milk, Thai curry paste, lemon leaves, lemon grass, fish sauce, black pepper, reserved lemon extract and chicken soup stock.
- Bring the sauce to a boil until it starts to thicken. Now add the blanched prawns. Cook for about a minute on low heat. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
BAKED SHRIMPS:
INGREDIENTS: (serves 6-8)
1.4 kg shrimps (21-25), peeled and deveined
600 g crispy and chopped beef ham
2 tbsp minced garlic
200 g butter, melted
For cooked grits:
2 cups each, water and milk
2 tbsp each, cream and butter
1 tbsp salt
1 cup grits (coarsely ground corn)
METHOD:
- In a large casserole (about 28 by 38 centimetres), place shrimps in a single layer. Top with remaining ingredients. Place the casserole in the oven and cook just until shrimps are opaque and firm, about 15-25 minutes. Serve shrimp over cooked grits.
- To cook grits, mix together water, milk, butter and salt in a large stock pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in grits. Simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in cream and serve immediately.
MUSSELS WITH GARLIC:
INGREDIENTS: (serves 3-4)
900 g mussels
900 g beef sausage, cubed
3 medium garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tbsp butter
1 cup chicken broth
6 red cherry tomatoes
6 yellow cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lemon cut into wedges
1/2 wholewheat baguette
METHOD:
- Rinse mussels under cold water. Gently tap any open ones again the counter. If they do not close, discard them.
- Heat a large skillet over medium -high heat. Add mussels, sausage, garlic and butter. When mussels starts to open (about 3 minutes), add broth and tomatoes. Cook 2 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide mussels and sauce between 2 large soup bowls, discarding any that do not open. Add lemon wedges to each plate. Serve with baguette.
LOBSTER WITH NOODLES:
INGREDIENTS: (serves 2)
30 ml oil
250 g whole Boston lobster, cleaned, boiled and halved
1 large clove garlic, sliced
20 g button mushrooms, quartered
100 g udon noodles, cooked until al dente
1 tsp each, oyster, light soy and dark soy sauces
2 tbsp chicken stock
METHOD:
- Heat 25 ml oil in a deep frying pan and pan- fry lobster halves, flesh side down, until fragrant and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat the remaining oil and saute garlic until golden brown. Add mushrooms and saute again until just cooked. Add noodles, mix and then place the lobster halves over the noodles. Pour the sauces and chicken stock over the lobster.
- Cover and simmer for 2 minutes, or until most of the moisture evaporates.
- Place a portion of noodles on a plate and top with a lobster half. Serve immediately.
THAI PRAWN CURRY:
INGREDIENTS: (serves 2)
50 ml oil
30 g green curry paste
250 ml coconut milk
300 g tiger prawns, cleaned
50 g round baby aubergines, halved
10 g rhizome (krachai) available in stores selling Thai food
20 g coconut palm heart
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
5 g each, sweet basil and young peppercorns
10 g sliced fresh red chillies
METHOD:
- Heat oil in a deep saucepan and saute green curry paste on medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until it gives off a nice aroma. Add coconut milk, stir and bring to the boil.
- Add prawns and stir for another 1-2 minutes. Now add aubergines, rhizome and coconut palm hearts. Mix well.
- Season with fish sauce and sugar and let it simmer until the aubergines are cooked through.
- Garnish with basil, peppercorns and red chillies. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
