Seafood cappuccino with scallop skewer

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 small can of shrimp paste
• 400 ml fish stock
• white wine
• 1 cup of cream
• 1 shot of cognac
• 200 ml milk
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp garlic, chopped
• 8 scallops
• 2 tbsp soup vegetables, frozen or fresh, cut into cubes, carrot, celery, onion
• 1 shallot(s), chopped
• Cayenne pepper
• Lemon pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 20 minutes

The absolute hit for every menu or buffet

Sauté the shallot and soup vegetables, deglaze with fish stock. Dissolve the crustacean paste in the fish stock, bring to a boil, and blend with a hand blender. Add the cup of cream, season with white wine and cognac, and keep warm. In a separate saucepan, bring the milk to a boil with the fennel seeds and chopped garlic. Let it steep for about 5 minutes, then strain through a sieve and whisk with a milk frother until stiff peaks form. Fry the scallops in hot oil for 2 minutes per side and thread them onto a skewer. Season to taste. (I have a delicious spice mix with lemon and pepper; a dash of that works well.) Pour the soup 3/4 full into a latte macchiato glass, then spoon the milk foam over the top, sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne pepper, and place the scallop skewer across the glass. Tip: Instead of scallops, I’ve also used shrimp. You can either skewer them or hang them on the side of the glass; they look good, too. If you’re looking for something extra elaborate, you can also make the crustacean stock yourself. Roast at least 1 kg of scampi shells, mussel shells, crab claws, and shell pieces for at least 15 minutes, then deglaze with half water and half white wine and simmer for another 90 minutes.