Wine: Don't worry about the cognac! It cooks off. A burgundy or off the beaten path red good here. Don't go for flavors that are too big - they will overwhelm the flan.
Yield: Varies
Ingredients:
For the red pepper flan-
| 1/4 cup | cream |
| 1/4 cup | red pepper juice |
| 2 | eggs |
| s&p |
Method:
Combine all and mix. Bake in a water bath in a slow oven until set.
For the red pepper cognac emulsion-
| 1 lbs. | mirepoix, medium dice |
| 1 | sachet |
| 6 | red peppers, medium dice |
| 1/2 cup | cognac |
| 1/2 cup | cream |
| 4 tbs. | butter |
| s&p |
Method:
Sauté the red peppers in half the butter. Deglaze with the cognac and reduce au sec. Add the mirepoix and sachet and enough water to just barley cover the vegetables. Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain. Add the cream and butter. Season. Reduce to desire consistency. Add a few drops more of cognac. Froth to order.
For the blacked prawns-
| 8 tbs. | butter |
| 4 tbs. | black pepper |
| 2 | prawns |
| salt |
Method:
Combine the butter and black pepper. Place the prawns on the bottom of a pan and top with the black pepper butter. Season. Place in oven. Cook until shrimp are done. Remove shrimp, reserve butter.
For the baby carrots and garnish-
| 3 | baby carrots, blanched and shocked |
| whole butter | |
| 1 | red pepper, brunoise, blanched |
| 2 | bacon strips, brunoise, cooked |
| 6 | chive strands, brunoise |
| s&p |
Method:
Reheat the carrots in the butter and season. Combine all the other parts.
For plate up: place the flan in the middle of the plate. Spoon some of the black pepper sauce around and place both shrimp on either side of the plate. Place the carrots on the plate next to the shrimp. Top flan with a quenelle of red pepper garnish. Froth the cognac sauce and spoon around shrimp.