Colossal Shrimp with Caramelized Endives and Endive Foam

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the caramelized endives:

2 endives (about 4 ounces each)
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the endive foam:

4 ounces endive trimmings
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup fish stock
1/2 cup whipping cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the shrimp:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
24 colossal shrimp (about 2 pounds), peeled and deveined
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Method:

To cook the endive:

Bring a large saucepan of water to 140 °F/60°C, or just below a simmer, over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to low so that water does not simmer but remains hot. Add the endive and cook for 2 hours, or until the endives are tender and no longer bitter. Drain the endives and allow to cool.

Just before serving, cut the endives in half lengthwise and drizzle each half with 1 teaspoon of honey.

In a heavy large sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Place the endives in the pan cut side down and cook for 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn the endives and cook for 1 minute longer. Sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper.

To make endive foam:

In another large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add the endive, sugar and honey, and sauté for 8 minutes, or until the endive is soft and the honey and sugar have formed a golden brown sauce.  Add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. Add the cream and bring to a near simmer.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly.  Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.  Pass the sauce through a fine-meshed sieve and into a small saucepan.  Reheat the sauce over medium heat. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

To cook the shrimp:

Meanwhile, in a separate large non-stick sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over high heat. Add 12 shrimp and sauté 1 minute per side.  Season prawns with sea salt and black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of parsley and 1 tablespoon of butter, and toss to coat until the juice evaporates and the shrimp are cooked through, about 1 minute longer.

Transfer the shrimp to plates. Tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining butter, shrimp, lemon juice and parsley.

To Serve:

Interlock 2 shrimp and arrange 3 interlocked shrimp bundles on each of 4 plates. Place the caramelized endive cut side up alongside the shrimp on the plates.

Using an immersion hand blender, blend the warm endive sauce to form a foamy consistency.  Drizzle the foamy sauce over and around the shrimps and serve.