Gordon Ramsay’s lobster ravioli

Serves 8 as a starter Starters and mains

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Method

Saffron pasta dough
MAKES ABOUT 900G

large pinch of saffron strands
500g Italian ‘00’ pasta flour
½tsp fine sea salt
4 large eggs
6 egg yolks
2tbsp olive oil

Soak the saffron in 1tbsp boiling water for 5 minutes. Sift the flour and fine sea salt into a food processor. Add the eggs, egg yolks and olive oil. Strain in the saffron water. Whiz to combine, stopping to scrape down the sides of the machine twice. The mixture should form small lumps, which will hold together as a smooth, firm paste when pressed with your fingers. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth and slightly springy. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes before using.

Lemongrass and chervil velouté
MAKES ABOUT 500ML

1 shallot, peeled and sliced
½tsp white peppercorns
½tsp coriander seeds
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
few thyme sprigs
2 lemongrass stalks, split
125ml Noilly Prat (or other dry vermouth)
250ml fish stock
250ml double cream
bunch of chervil, leaves only, chopped

Put the shallot, peppercorns, coriander seeds, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, lemongrass and vermouth in a wide saucepan and bring to the boil. Let bubble until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy glaze. Add the stock and boil to reduce by half. Add the cream and simmer until the sauce has reduced to a coating consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl. Just before serving, reheat and stir in the chopped chervil.

Method

First, make the ravioli filling. Put 100g salmon into a food processor with some sea salt and pepper and whiz to a firm purée. With the motor running, slowly trickle in the cream. Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film and chill for 20 minutes. Finely dice the lobster and langoustine meat and the remaining salmon fillet, mix together and chill for 20 minutes.

Fold enough salmon purée into the diced lobster mixture to bind it, then add the lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper. To check the seasoning, blanch a little spoonful of the filling then taste. Chill the mixture for 20 minutes or until firm, then shape into neat balls, about 80g each. Place on a plate, cover with cling film and chill again. (This can be done a day in advance.)

To make the ravioli, roll out the pasta dough into thin sheets using a pasta machine. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and cut out 12cm rounds with a pastry cutter. Place a ball of filling in the centre of half of the pasta rounds, then brush the edges with egg wash. Place another pasta round on top of each one and press the edges together to seal, stretching the dough slightly and moulding it around the filling with your fingers to make sure there are no air gaps. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut around the ravioli to neaten the edges.

Blanch the ravioli in boiling salted water for 3–4 minutes, then refresh in ice-cold water. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a tray. Cover with cling film and chill until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, warm up the reduced shellfish stock.

Reheat the lemongrass velouté, adding the chopped chervil as you take the pan off the heat. Add the ravioli to a large pan of boiling salted water and boil for 2-3 minutes to reheat. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well. Drizzle a spiral of shellfish stock around each warm plate. Spoon a little warm spinach into the centre and place a ravioli on top. Drizzle over a little olive oil and top with a basil crisp if you like. Pour over the lemongrass and chervil velouté to serve, or hand around separately.