Veloute Recipes

VELOUTE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute (the flour should not take on any color).
• Pour in stock, whisking to incorporate fully, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, whisking fairly often, to cook out raw flour taste and thicken the liquid (it should reach the consistency of heavy cream).

SPAGHETTI WITH SEAFOOD VELOUTé

Steps:

• Prepare all the seafood by first opening the oysters into a sieve over a bowl to catch the juices (see video technique). Trim and slice the salmon into 6 equal-size square chunks. If the scallops are large, cut them in half lengthways. Peel and devein the prawns if needed.
• Place the strained oyster juice and fish stock into a shallow saucepan and bring to a simmer. First add the salmon and poach for 1 min. Add the prawns and oysters (if using large ones) and poach for 1 min more. Add the scallops and poach for 1 min more, then add the oysters (if small) and simmer everything for a final min until just cooked.
• Carefully tip the fish and poaching liquid into a sieve over a large saucepan or bowl, keeping all the salmon chunks intact.
• Heat half the butter in the cleaned shallow pan and add the shallot. Cook very gently for 5 mins until soft but not coloured, then pour in the alcohol and boil until reduced to a few tablespoons. Pour in the poaching liquid and boil down until reduced by half, about 20-25 mins. Stir in the cream and, once more, reduce by half. Turn down to a gentle simmer and whisk in the rest of the butter.
• Gently add the seafood to the sauce, taking care not to break up the salmon. Simmer lightly until heated through, then add most of the herbs, squeeze over the lemon juice and set aside.
• Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling water until just done, about 3-4 mins, then drain well and add back to the pan with a drizzle of olive oil and the rest of the herbs. You are now ready to plate up.
• Use a roasting fork to twirl a neat bundle of spaghetti. Stand the bundle in the middle of a warm large pasta bowl. Alternate the salmon and seafood around the pasta. Spoon the sauce over the seafood, top the pasta with the chervil or parsley sprigs and serve immediately.

SPAGHETTI WITH SEAFOOD VELOUTé (GORDON RAMSAY)

Steps:

• Combine water, bay leave and thyme leaves in a small pot and bring to a boil. Peel and devein the prawns, reserving the prawn heads and shells. Add the prawn heads and shells into the boiling water. Simmer for 15 to 20 minute to extract the flavours of the prawns. Strain the stock into another clean pot.
• Gently rub 1 teaspoon salt into the peeled and deveined prawns and set aside for 10 minutes. Rinse off the salt, pat dry with paper towels and set aside. Skin the salmon fillet (or you can leave it, which was what I did) and slice it into 1½-inch chunks. Season with a little salt and set aside.
• Reheat the stock until it starts to simmer. Add in the salmon chunks and simmer for 1 minute. Add in the prawns and the clams and simmer until the clams are cooked. Remove all the seafood with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Boil a large pot of well-salted water and cook the spaghetti until al-dente, according to package's instructions.
• In a third pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat then add in the onion. Sauté gently until the onion is translucent, then add in the stock. Bring to a simmer and add in the cream and cherry tomatoes. Add in the seafood and season with salt and black pepper (I used very little salt, so remember to do a taste-test before seasoning the sauce!) Bring the sauce to a simmer but take note not to boil it.
• By now your pasta should be cooked - drain well (no need to rinse under cold water). Take a bunch of pasta, twirl and plate it. Spoon the seafood and the sauce over the pasta. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

VELOUTE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the stock, 1/2 cup at a time. Whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.