Sou vide Moreton Bay Bug with cauliflower 3 ways, brioche crumb and hollandaise - Josh Lopez

Edit

Recipe's preparation

Sou vide bug tail

Place water into mixing bowl and heat 10 min/65 °C/speed 1 or until water reaches temperature. Meanwhile, remove tail meat gently from shell and reserve shells.

Place bug tails and oil into seperate vacuum bags and seal using a cryovac machine or place into snap lock bags and seal removing all the air. Insert simmering basket and place sealed bags into it. Cook 4 min/65°C/speed "Gentle stir setting" . Remove simmering basket with aid of spatula and set aside. Keep cooking liquid.

Fondant cauliflower

Cut a 2.5 cm thick slice from centre of cauliflower. Using a round cookie cutter (60 mm diameter), cut 2 rounds of cauliflower, including part of the stem to hold the round together. Cut a 2 cm wide finger of the cauliflower stem and set aside. Set aside remaining cauliflower for purée.

Place Varoma into position and place cauliflower rounds into it. Secure Varoma lid and cook 10 min/Varoma/speed 2. Set Varoma aside. Discard cooking liquid.

Cauliflower purée

Place remaining cauliflower into mixing bowl and chop 4 sec/speed 4 or until a rice consistency.

Add cream, milk and salt and cook 20 min/100°C/speed "Gentle stir setting" , placing simmering basket instead of measuring cup onto mixing bowl lid. Check if cooked and soft, if not cook a further 5 min/100°C/speed "Gentle stir setting" . Using simmerng basket drain cauliflower.

Place cooked cauliflower back into mixing bowl and purée 40 sec/speed 6-10, increasing speed gradually from speed 6 to speed 10. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula and repeat puréeing if necessary. Transfer into a bowl and set aside.

Brioche crumb

Place a non stick frying pan onto heat and add butter. Cook until melted and bubbling. Add brioche dough and break up using a whisk, stirring continuously for 10 minutes. Add more butter if required, until dough is a dark brown crumb consistency. Drain crumb. Transfer onto a tray and set aside to cool.

Without washing frying pan, return pan to heat and fry reserved cauliflower fondant rounds until brown on each side. Set aside.

Hollandaise

Place carrot, onion, celery and thyme into mixing bowl and chop 4 sec/speed 4.

Add butter and reserved bug shells and cook 10 min/100°C/speed 1. Place a nut milk bag or muslin cloth into simmering basket and place over a jug. Strain butter, discarding solids. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place clarified butter, noting weight into mixing bowl. Add more butter if need to equal 130 g of butter. Insert butterfly whisk and add egg yolks and vinegar and cook 8 min/90°C/speed 3. Add salt and pepper to taste and transfer into a jug.

To assemble, place a large spoonful of purée onto centre of plate. Place a bug tail next it and burnish with a butane torch. Top with Hollandaise. Place cauliflower fondant next to tail and sprinkle with Brioche crumb. Very thinly slice cauliflower stem lengthways into ribbons and arrange on top of tail. Sprinkle with sea salt and a few drops of good EVOO before serving.