King Prawns with Pea Puree and Dashi Jelly
Elegant plated dish combining seared king prawns with two pea preparations: a silky puree enriched with beurre noisette and a delicate velouté. Topped with umami-rich dashi jelly cubes made from kombu, bonito, and agar agar. Restaurant-style presentation requiring advance preparation of components.
Ingredients
- 8 king shrimp, large, peeled and deveined
- 3 ½ oz frozen peas, for puree
- 4 tbsp butter, for beurre noisette
- 2 tsp heavy cream, for puree
- ¼ onion, chopped
- 4 ½ oz potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 cups chicken stock
- 9 ½ oz frozen peas, for velouté
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream, for velouté
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tbsp oil
- salt, to taste(optional)
- 1 ½ cups mineral water, for dashifiltered water1:1
chlorine-free water preferred
- ⅛ oz kombudried kelp1:1
alternative seaweed for dashi base
- ⅛ oz agar agargelatin3:1 by weight
agar sets at room temperature unlike gelatin
- ½ oz bonito flakesdried anchovy flakes1:1adds fish
alternative umami depth
- 1 handful pea shoots, for garnish
- 1 ½ tbsp butter, for finishing
Instructions
- 1
Peel and devein the shrimp, removing the waste sac. Wash and dry thoroughly.
- 2
For pea puree: blanch peas in boiling water for 3 minutes until tender. Reserve 4 spoons for garnish. Blend remaining peas until smooth.
- 3
Make beurre noisette by heating butter in a pan until dark golden brown with nutty aroma. Heat heavy cream separately over gentle heat.
- 4
Combine pea puree with heated cream and one-third of the beurre noisette. Pass through sieve and chill immediately.
- 5
For velouté: heat oil and sweat onion. Add potato and chicken stock, bring to boil. Add peas and cook for 5 minutes, then add cream.
- 6
Cook velouté for another 2 minutes. Blend with remaining beurre noisette, salt, and lemon juice. Pass through sieve and chill immediately.
- 7
Heat water, kombu, and agar agar steadily to 144°F and maintain for 1 hour.
- 8
Add bonito flakes, bring to boil, and pass through sieve into greased flat container at least ¾" deep.
- 9
Leave dashi to set for 6 hours, then dice into cubes.
- 10
Cook peeled shrimp in hot pan for 1 minute on each side.
- 11
Assemble by dividing pea puree into small bowls, repeat with velouté. Place bowls on plates. Heat reserved peas in butter.
- 12
Top each puree bowl with peas, pea shoots, shrimp, and dashi jelly cubes.
Tips
Prepare both pea preparations and dashi jelly well ahead to allow proper chilling and setting times.
When making beurre noisette, watch carefully as the transition from golden to burnt happens quickly.
Ensure dashi container is greased to prevent sticking when dicing the set jelly.
Chill both pea preparations immediately after sieving to preserve color and texture.
Good to Know
Components store separately in airtight containers. Pea preparations and dashi jelly up to 2 days refrigerated. Prawns best cooked day-of.
Pea puree, velouté, and dashi jelly can be prepared 1-2 days ahead. Dice jelly shortly before serving. Cook prawns immediately before plating.
Plate individually with pea preparations in small bowls centered on plates. Top each with single prawns and jelly cubes for elegant restaurant-style presentation.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the 1-hour slow heating of dashi to 62°C to avoid extracting bitterness from kombu.
Do not allow pea preparations to warm before serving to avoid losing their delicate flavor and color.
Do not overcook prawns (more than 1 minute per side) to avoid toughness and dryness.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
alternative seaweed for dashi base
alternative umami depth
chlorine-free water preferred