Vanilla Cold Roll with Southern Rocklobster and Porcini Salad

Serves 8

This is a modern twist on an old French classic, Southern Rocklobster with vanilla. The subtle vanilla flavour and the sweetness of the Southern Rocklobster is a gorgeous foil for the rest of the ingredients.

Ingredients

For the vanilla cold roll

250g clarified snapper stock
1g sea salt
2 vanilla beans, split and scraped, seeds only
1g agar agar
.5g gelatine

Essential equipment

Two 30cm x 40cm smooth surfaced trays

Salad ingredients (per each)

20g porcini, fried in lobster oil and seasoned with fine sea salt
40g cooked chilled Southern Rocklobster leg meat
Pinch sea salt
White pepper
30g soft skinned black grapes, cut into quarters
5g shallot, peeled weight finely julienned
Watercress sprigs
Wild fennel sprigs
Half lime, freshly squeezed juice
10g watercress oil

Method

For the vanilla cold roll

Put the stock, salt and vanilla seeds into a sauteuse and bring to the boil and when it is almost to the boil whisk in the agar agar. Quickly soften the gelatine in cold water, turn off the heat and whisk in the gelatine. Divide the liquid between the two trays, spreading it evenly on the tray to form a very thin sheet.

Assembling the roll - this is absolutely à la minute.

The wrappers are very fragile and it is more manageable to work on the tray and use a fine bowl scraper. We love the scrapers from the French company Dehillerin.
Slice the porcini lengthwise and reserve five pieces, a few pieces of grape, watercress and fennel and three pieces of Southern Rocklobster. Put the remaining ingredients into a bowl, season, squeeze the lime juice over and mix together.
Cut one sheet into four and using the straight edge of the bowl scraper slide the bowl scraper under a portion about 5mm and lay the ingredients across the sheet and then working carefully with the bowl scraper roll it up and gently make a few little frills and folds on the top and lift it into the centre of the plate.
Arrange the other ingredients on the plate, drip with the watercress oil and serve immediately.

If you like this recipe you might be interested in another recipe using Southern Rocklobster Consommé - click here to go to the recipe.

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