Summer Comforts: Tom Kitchin’s Roasted Langoustines

I often get asked that dreaded question of what I would choose for my last meal. I think langoustine and garlic butter would be right up there. If you have never visited the West Coast of Scotland, you must. To eat fresh langoustine just off the boat along the coast is something very special. Langoustines can be difficult to get hold of and are often expensive, but you will find them in good fishmongers, so give yourself a treat whenever you come across them. Serve them piled high on a big plate in the middle of the table, and enjoy with your family or good friends for a perfect meal in my opinion. They are just delicious.

Roasted Langoustine with Spring Onion and Garlic Butter

Serves 3-4

Ingredients
12 frozen langoustines, thawed and halved with the brains and intestines removed and discarded
olive oil
charred lemon halves, optional, to serve
sea salt

For the spring onion and garlic butter
4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
150g butter, diced

Method
Preheat the oven to 200?C fan/220?C/gas mark 7. Select one or two heavy-based shallow roasting tins so all the langoustine halves can be arranged in a single layer – you don’t want them piled on top of each other.

Place the langoustines into the tin(s), add a good splash of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place the tin(s) in the oven and roast for 6 minutes, or until the flesh is white.

Meanwhile, to make the flavoured butter, combine the spring onions, garlic and parsley, and set aside. Heat a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, then add the butter. When it starts to foam, add the spring onion, garlic and parsley mixture, and stir for 1 minute.

Remove the tin(s) with the langoustines from the oven and pour over the butter mixture. Place the langoustine in the middle of the table and serve, with lemon halves for squeezing over – I particularly like the flavour charred lemons give, but plain ones work just as well.

Extracted from Tom Kitchin’s Fish and Shellfish (Absolute Press, approx €29). Photography © Marc Millar.