Cauliflower Veloute With American Caviar Recipes

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large, wide saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add cream, 1/4 cup water, and season with freshly grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer; cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Working in batches, transfer cauliflower mixture to the jar of a blender or bowl of a food processor; blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Steps:

• For the veloute: In a stockpot, combine cognac, onions, carrots, celery, lobster carcasses, leeks and fennel. Add 1 gallon water and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and simmer until thickened. Press through a fine-mesh sieve. Chill until ready to serve.
• For the lobster salad: Combine the lobster meat, creme fraiche, chives, parsley, tarragon, and lemon zest and juice in a bowl and chill.
• Serve the veloute in soup bowls, topped with some of the lobster salad and garnished with a teaspoon of caviar.

Steps:

• In a saucepan, melt the butter and soften the shallots but do not brown. Blend in the flour and cook over low heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes. (The roux should be smooth and golden.) In another saucepan, combine and warm the stocks. Gradually add stocks to the roux, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, skimming off any scum that forms on the top. Add the salt.
• Strain oysters and reserve their liquor. Purée oysters in a food processor or blender and add them with their liquor to the soup. Simmer, partly covered, for 5 minutes, then add cayenne. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing hard with a spoon. (Soup may be prepared ahead to this point.)
• About 5 or 10 minutes before serving, reheat the soup. Whisk yolks and cream together. Slowly whisk in a cup of the hot soup, then stir the cream mixture back into the soup. Stir constantly over low heat, until soup thickens slightly. Bring almost to the boil and remove from heat. Add lemon juice and taste for seasonings. Ladle into serving bowls and top each with about a teaspoon of caviar.

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add cauliflower, broth, and cream. Bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer gently until cauliflower is tender, about 18 minutes.
• Puree soup in small batches in blender until smooth. Return to same saucepan. Season soup with kosher salt and white pepper.
• Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and chill. Rewarm before serving.
• Blanch leek in small saucepan of boiling salted water 1 minute; drain. Place some of leek in center of each bowl.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in medium skillet over high heat. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Sear until brown and just opaque in center, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.
• Place 1 scallop on leek in each bowl; top scallop with caviar. Ladle soup around scallop, drizzle with 1 teaspoon lemon oil, and sprinkle with chives.