This month the chef Simone Bertaccini of Santa Elisabetta Restaurant and of the Osteria della Pagliazza of the Brunelleschi Hotel offers this particular recipe: Marzolino Soufflé Cream Pods and Crispy lobster. The Santa Elisabetta Restaurant is located on the first floor in the ancient tower “La Pagliazza”, in Piazza Santa Elisabetta in the historic center of Florence, just steps from the Duomo, the Uffizi Gallery and Piazza della Signoria.
Here are some guidelines to make the marzolino soufflé, cream of pods and crispy scampo.
Chef Simone Bertaccini with Giuseppe Bonadonna Sous Chef
Ingredients for 4 people:
8 large scampi
100 g flour + 50 g cornstarch
sparkling water ice
For the soufflé:
35 g butter
40 g flour
100 g fresh cream
150 g milk
1 egg yolk
150 g marzolino cheese
25 g cornstarch, 100 g egg white
For the cream:
250 g peeled fresh pods
1 / 2 shallot
50 g fat
500 g vegetable broth
salt and pepper 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
Cooking time: 12 mins for the soufflé
Cooking time: 20 minutes for the cream
Procedure:
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Boil the milk and cream together, when they reached the boiling add the roux (flour and butter) and cook for 5 minutes as a white sauce. When they are lukewarm add the egg yolks and grated cheese. Separately, whip the egg whites with the cornstarch until stiff, then incorporate them into the cold mixture and pour the mixture into the individual portion buttered and sprinkled with bread crumbs. Bake at 190 degrees for 12 minutes. Chop the scallions together with bacon and brown in oil. Apart cook the pods in boiling salted water for a few minutes and cool them immediately in water and ice. Add to the sauce and saute for a couple of minutes then add the broth a little at a time, until the pods are not cooked. Pass the cream and season with salt and pepper.
With the help of the hand, like a whip, add carbonated water to flour to form the tempura. With a quick movement incorporate the water leaving little bubbles on the surface. Dip the scampi into the hot oil (170 degrees or so) and fry for 3 minutes. Place the cream of pods in the dish, put in the center of the dish the just baked soufflé and, finally, the fried scampi. Season with some freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
