Our sustainable recipes for spring

As part of our commitment to eco-responsible cuisine, the chefs of the Groupe Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer have taken up the challenge of creating original recipes featuring spring fruit and vegetables.

Contents

1. Mango sushi with coconut-lime sauce by Chef Gollino - Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo
2. Duo of asparagus, sweet potato, kumquat and vanilla by Chef Ravin - Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort
3. Tagine-style courgette tart by Chef Saez Manzanares - Sporting Monte-Carlo
4. Salade Folle by Chef Bellayer - Pavyllon Monte-Carlo
5. Pain Bagnat radish by Chef Giordano - Maona Monte-Carlo
6. Pressed violin courgettes, shrimp tartare with black garlic, passion fruit and pomegranate coulis by Chef Piolti - Crystal Bar

Preliminary preparation for sushi rice:

Place the rice in a bowl and rinse under running water, stirring occasionally to remove the starch. When the water runs clear (after around 30 minutes), drain the rice through a fine sieve. Cover with cling film and leave to drain for a further 30 minutes in an airtight place to stop the grains falling apart during cooking.

Rice seasoning:

Slice the lemongrass stalk. Pour all the ingredients into a small saucepan. Bring gently to the boil. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain the syrup and set aside at room temperature.

Cooking and seasoning the sushi rice:

Place the rice in a 16 cm diameter saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil quickly and cook, covered, over a low heat for 15 minutes, then leave to stand for 10 minutes, off the heat, without taking the lid off the pot (either during cooking or while it is standing). Season the rice while it is hot by pouring some of the syrup over it.

Leave to cool at room temperature in a damp kitchen towel. Once completely cooled, taste the rice and add a drizzle of syrup to taste.

Preparing the mango:

Peel the mango. Remove the stone by cutting it in half. Slice each piece in half lengthways. Thinly slice the quarters.

Making the coconut-lime sauce:

Blend the mango trimmings to a fine purée, then add the coconut milk and a squeeze of lime juice. Blend again to obtain a smooth relish. Grate half the lime zest and set aside in a cool place.

Finishing & presentation:

Shape the rice into balls 2 cm in diameter by moistening your fingers with the remaining syrup. Gently roll them between your fingers to create an oblong shape.

Place 1 thin slice of mango on each shaped sushi and press lightly to make the mango slice stick. Sprinkle with a few black sesame seeds and add a flower petal to each piece of sushi. Arrange on a plate and grate the lime zest on top. Put the sauce in a separate small container.

White asparagus velouté:

Peel the white asparagus, set aside the heads and then cut the tails into sections. Chop the shallot and leek whites. Sweat the asparagus with the shallots and leek in a knob of butter without browning. Add plenty of water, salt and pepper and cook, covered, over a low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Cream, bring to the boil then blend. Emulsify with the remaining butter, season, strain through a fine sieve, add the grated fresh vanilla and keep warm.

Sweet potato purée:

Peel the sweet potato, cut into cubes and cook, covered, with the orange juice and spices over a low heat. Once cooked through, drain and adjust the spices, then blend to obtain a smooth purée. Add the orange juice as required, season and keep warm.

Cut thin slices of sweet potato into discs using a mandolin for decoration.

Green asparagus and white asparagus tips:

Peel the green asparagus, then collar them. Cook the green and white asparagus in boiling water, then cool immediately in iced water. Drain and put the asparagus under the grill to give it a subtle grilled flavour. Keep warm.

Cut slices of kumquat and grill them as well. Cut shavings from the white asparagus.

To finish:

Use a spatula to spread the sweet potato purée and place the grilled green asparagus on top. Add the white asparagus shavings, sweet potato discs, grilled kumquats and white asparagus tips harmoniously. Finish decorating with herbs and flowers as you wish.

In a separate container, serve the vanilla white asparagus velouté, sprinkled with asparagus powder.

Courgette petal:

Cut the yellow and green courgettes into 2 cm rounds and blanch. Keep and dice the insides of the courgettes.

Tagine-style vegetable confit:

Sweat the chives in olive oil with 1 whole garlic clove and 1 sprig of thyme. Add the diced fennel, courgette, diced tomatoes and spices, and leave to stew, adding a few drops of vegetable stock.

Finish with the diced apricot and lemon. When everything is dry, add the hummus and the chopped coriander and basil and leave to cool.

Finishing off/plating:

Bake a 10/12 cm circle of puff pastry in a press, spread the tagine mixture over it, then insert the blanched courgette rounds and wipe the top down.

Finish by stuffing a courgette flower with the same mixture and cook in the oven for 5 minutes at 150/160°C.

Method:

Boil the asparagus. Set aside.

Spread the tomato sauce generously on the plate. Arrange the chopped cherry tomatoes. Add the sliced raw courgettes and artichoke leaves. Cut the asparagus into thirds and finish with the coriander.

Method:

Wash and cut the courgettes lengthways into 6 pieces. Blanch for 3 minutes. Refresh with ice-cold water and dry.

Sprinkle with chopped herbs and gelatine.

Wrap in two rounds of cling film and make a few holes with the tip of a knife. Vacuum pack, but not too tightly. Steam for 5 minutes at 100 °C. Cool again.

Shrimp tartare:

Chop the shrimp tails and season with lime juice, olive oil, black garlic, salt, pepper and Espelette pepper.

Scrape the passion fruit out into a bowl, add a spoonful of pomegranate molasses, olive oil, salt and pepper and emulsify. Cut a two-centimetre slice from the courgette.

Place in the centre of the plate. Arrange the shrimp tartare in a circle on top. Add two spoonfuls of the passion fruit vinaigrette around it.

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