Court-bouillon poached shrimp with homemade mayonnaise

Ingredients

• 800 g raw whole pink shrimp, head-on and shell-on (40/60 count)
• 2 l water
• 200 ml dry white wine (Muscadet or Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1 piece yellow onion, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 1 piece carrot, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 1 piece celery rib, cut into chunks
• 1 piece bouquet garni (fresh thyme, bay leaf, parsley stems)
• 15 g coarse sea salt
• 10 pieces black peppercorns
• 1 piece lemon, halved
• 2 pieces extra-fresh egg yolk (at room temperature)
• 10 g Dijon mustard
• 250 ml grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)
• 15 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• to taste fleur de sel
• to taste ground white pepper
• 100 g mixed salad greens (mache or butterhead lettuce)
• 2 pieces lemon, cut into wedges
• 8 slices high-quality sandwich bread, toasted
• 80 g unsalted butter, at room temperature

Method

1. Make the court-bouillon: in a large stockpot, combine the water and white wine. Add the onion, carrot, celery, bouquet garni, coarse salt, black peppercorns, and the lightly squeezed lemon half. Bring to a rolling boil at 212 °F (100 °C), then reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer gently (around 195 to 205 °F / 90 to 95 °C) for 10 minutes to infuse the aromatics.
2. Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl of ice water with ice cubes (35 to 40 °F / 2 to 4 °C) to shock the shrimp immediately after cooking.
3. Keep the court-bouillon at a gentle simmer (205 °F / 95 °C), gently lower in the shrimp, and stir once with a slotted spoon. As soon as the liquid returns to a boil (212 °F / 100 °C), cook over medium heat for precisely 2 minutes and 30 seconds, until the shells turn bright pink and the meat is opaque and firm to the center. Remove them immediately with a slotted spoon and plunge into the ice bath for 5 minutes. Drain on a clean kitchen towel and chill in the refrigerator at 40 °F (4 °C) for at least 30 minutes.
4. Make the mayonnaise: in a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the Dijon mustard, fleur de sel, and ground white pepper for 1 minute until smooth and slightly thickened.
5. Whisking vigorously (by hand or using an electric hand mixer on medium speed), drizzle in the oil drop by drop at first, then in a steady stream over 3 to 4 minutes, until the emulsion thickens, holds firmly on the whisk, and turns glossy.
6. Whisk in the fresh lemon juice for 30 seconds to lighten the color and firm up the sauce, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill at 40 °F (4 °C) for 20 minutes before serving.
7. Arrange the washed and dried salad greens on a platter or individual serving plates. Scatter the well-chilled shrimp on top and garnish with the lemon wedges.
8. Toast the sandwich bread slices in a toaster or in an oven preheated to 400 °F (200 °C) for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Serve immediately with the room-temperature unsalted butter.
9. Serve the chilled shrimp platter accompanied by the homemade mayonnaise and the warm toast.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

920.5 kcal

Protein

57.79 g

Carbohydrate

49.22 g

Fat

52.35 g

Fibre

4.77 g

Calcium

209.41 mg

Iron

2.2 mg

Magnesium

92.26 mg