Chilled Southern Rocklobster and Almond Soup Spheres

Makes 17 portions

Ingredients

For the spheres

1g sea salt
150g clarified Southern Rocklobster stock
7g calcium lactate
150g + 200g EcoMil Almond - see notes

For the alginate bath

1400g water
65g caster sugar
7g sodium alginate

Other ingredients

Crushed roasted blanched almonds
Steamed seasoned Southern Rocklobster meat
or
Steamed Southern Rocklobster mousseline

Method

For the spheres

Put the sea salt and 150g rocklobster stock into a saucepan and whisk in the calcium lactate. Bring to the boil and whisk until the calcium lactate is dissolved - do not reduce. Remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly then whisk in the 150g EcoMil almond and blend thoroughly. Fill into 40mm half sphere silicon moulds and freeze.

When the sphere bases are completely frozen remove from the moulds and store in the freezer in airtight containers.

Put the water, sugar and sodium alginate into a pot and incorporate the alginate with a stab mixer/Bamix.
Bring to the boil, turn the heat off, allow it to sit for 5 minutes, then process again to ensure the alginate is completely incorporated.

Bring to the boil again.

Drop the frozen spheres into the alginate a few at a time while keeping the alginate solution very hot. Take care that they do not touch each other. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Very carefully remove them from the bath and drop them into the remaining EcoMil Almond. Repeat the process until all of the spheres have been formed. Store tightly covered in the fridge.

To serve

Carefully place a sphere on chilled spoons, dust with the crushed almonds and serve.

Notes

Many years ago when I had my own restaurant we used to make two blancmanger dishes that had been very well described in renaissance manuscripts. Making the almond milk grinding them, steeping them, pounding them and finally squeezing out the milk took two people a huge amount of time. Recently in one of my local organic stores I noticed a whole range of nut milks, most of them certified gluten free. Several brands of almond milk have been tried but it is only the Spanish Nutriops EcoMil Almond that has the right taste. Many brands add soya oil or soy products, which totally change the taste and texture of the milk and also seem to cause it curdle if it is heated to high heat. We have not tried the other EcoMil flavours so cannot comment. www.ecomil.com

Copyright © text, recipes and images Southern Rocklobster Limited and Ann Oliver 2009