Shrimp Consommé with Shrimp Royale

Shrimp Royale

1 pound shrimp (500 g) (or 7 ounces (200 g) peeled shrimp meat)

2 egg yolks

1 whole egg

1/2 cup milk (10 cl)

1 cup whipping cream (20 cl)

Tabasco sauce

Garnish

Step 1: Shrimp Consommé

Separate the shrimp heads from the tails, and shell the tails.

Sauté the shrimp heads in a hot sauté pan in the shellfish butter, along with 2 crushed cloves of garlic. Deglaze with half the cognac, and moisten with the lobster stock.

Infuse with the basil for 20 minutes, then filter through cheesecloth.

Sauté the shrimp tails in a hot pan without browning. Season with fleur de sel, and add a clove of garlic. Deglaze with the rest of the cognac, and add the shrimp consommé.

Purée to obtain a perfectly velvety soup, then filter first through a fine-meshed chinois, then through cheesecloth.

Bring back to a boil, add the butter, and season with freshly ground pepper and a dash of lemon juice.

Purée once again to obtain a nice emulsion.

Step 2: Shrimp Royale

Shell the shrimp tails.

Pound the shrimp meat in a mortar without heating, then strain through a coarse tamis.

Scald the milk and cool to 37 1/2°F (3°C).

Mix the cream with the whole egg and egg yolks, then pour over the shrimp meat.

Whisk, season with salt and a dash of Tabasco sauce, and filter through a fine-meshed chinois.

Grease molds with softened butter and refrigerate, then fill with royale batter.

Cook in a bain-marie starting from cold water in a 212°F (100°C) oven until set.