Chef Guillaume Delauné
Kingsbrae Arms, St. Andrews by-the-Sea
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 4 hours
Special equipment: smoker, mother-of-pearl caviar spoons
Planning ahead:
The process of curing, smoking and drying the sturgeon takes at least 1 week. The cauliflower portions must be made at least 3 hours ahead.
Ingredients
Breviro Caviar, 5 grams per person
Smoked sturgeon:
4 lb. (1.8 kg) sturgeon fillet
1 oz. (28 g) sugar
3 oz. (85 g) salt
4½ oz. (133 ml) vodka
¼ oz. (7 g) lemon zest
Meyer lemon and vodka cream:
2½ cups (625 ml) Meyer lemon juice
1/3 cup (85 ml) heavy cream (35%)
1 tsp. (5 ml) vodka
Salt and pepper to taste
Dark beer blinis:
3 oz. (85 g) egg whites
3½ oz. (99 g) flour
.1 oz. (2.8 g) salt
4½ oz. (133 ml) dark beer
Butter (for cooking)
Lemon confit:
4 lemons zested, all white pith removed
Juice of 2 oranges
Juice of 3 lemons
¾ oz. (21 g) sugar
Cauliflower florets à la grecque:
2 tbsp. (30 ml) olive oil
50 oz. (1417 g) cauliflower florets
½ tbsp. (8 ml) coriander seeds
2 tbsp. (30 ml) lemon juice
1 tbsp. (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
¼ oz. (7 g) chopped fresh coriander
¼ bay leaf
1 clove of garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper
To serve:
Coriander
Red rambo radish micro greens
Preparation
Smoked sturgeon:
Mix together the sugar, salt, vodka and lemon zest. Rub a generous amount on the sturgeon fillet and marinate in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Rinse under cold running water for 5 minutes and allow to dry in the refrigerator for 2 days. When dry, smoke the sturgeon for 4 hours; 2 hours at 160°F (71°C) and 2 hours at 140°F (60°C). Brush generously with olive oil and cool to room temperature. Store in refrigerator until use.
Meyer lemon and vodka cream:
Add the lemon juice to the cream until it thickens, mixing by hand or with a hand blender. Add the vodka; seasons with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve.
Dark beer blinis:
Mix the flour and salt and slowly incorporate the beer. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and add them carefully to the beer batter. Working quickly so the batter doesn’t fall, make small rounds of batter, about 1 tbsp. (15 ml) each, and place in a non-stick pan heated to 375 °F (190°C). Cook about 1 minute on each side until coloured. Reserve on a cooling rack.
Lemon confit:
Blanch zested lemons 3 times in a small saucepan. (Each time begin with cold water, bring to a boil, cool down, and repeat). Place the lemon zests, orange juice, lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook very slowly over low heat for 2½ to 3 hours. The juice should be totally reduced to the texture of marmalade.
Cauliflower florets à la grecque:
Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan, add the florets and sweat for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add coriander seeds, bay leaf and garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes, then deglaze with lemon juice and balsamic vinegar. Keep the mixture boiling for 2 minutes. The florets have to stay very crispy. Pour into a small bowl or container, cover with extra virgin olive oil and finish with the fresh coriander. Store in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
To serve:
Place a good dollop of cream on the plate and pull into a line with your spoon. Add 3 thin slices of smoked sturgeon, standing up. Place 3 blinis on the plate. Fill a mother-of-pearl spoon with the caviar and place it on a corner of the plate. Julienne the lemon confit zest and sprinkle a few pieces on each dish. Scatter the cauliflower florets here and there to make a nice design, and add a sprinkle of the coriander and red rambo radish micro greens. Finish with a twist of a pepper mill and some fleur de sel.
Serves 4