Prawn Steaks with Soy Beans, Radish and Saffron Fumé

by Leah Halmagyi

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 Tbsp plain flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup Pecorino, finely grated
  • ½ tsp grated nutmeg
  • Sea salt flakes and freshly-milled black pepper
  • 400g prawn meat
  • 3 cups breadcrumbs
  • ½ leek, finely diced
  • ½ head fennel, finely diced
  • 1 stick celery, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 juniper berries
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp rice flour
  • Pinch saffron threads, soaked in 1 Tbsp water
  • 2 cups dry white win
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 Tbsp cream
  • 1 cup soy beans, blanched
  • 2 radishes, very finely sliced
  • Finger lime caviar, edible flowers, chervil and toasted walnuts, to garnish

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine the butter and flour in a medium saucepan and cook over moderate heat for 3 minutes, until crumbly, then whisk in the milk and cook (stirring constantly, until thickened. Mix in the Pecorino, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
2 Place the Pecorino sauce in a food processor with the prawns and purée until a rough paste forms. Transfer to a bowl and mix in half the breadcrumbs. Season with salt, then form into four patties and toss in the remaining breadcrumbs and chill until firm.
3 Sauté the leek, fennel, celery, garlic and juniper berries in half the olive oil in a medium saucepan over a moderate heat for 5 minutes, until softened. Scatter with rice flour, cook briefly, then stir in the saffron, wine, stock and cream. Simmer for 15 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve and season with salt.
4 Fry the prawn patties in the remaining olive oil in a large frying pa over a moderate heat for 10 minutes turning several times, then transfer to the oven a and bake for 10 minutes. Pour the saffron sauce into bowls, then place a prawn steak in the centre and garnish with soy beans, radish slices, finger lime caviar, flowers, chervil and walnuts.