Scampi with tartare sauce
Treat yourself to Rick Stein’s battered langoustines with a luxurious tartare sauce, made with homemade mustard mayonnaise, olives and gherkins.
Ingredients
For the mustard mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp English mustard
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ¾ tsp salt
- white pepper
- 300ml/½ pint sunflower oil
For the tartare sauce
- 300ml/½ pint mustard mayonnaise
- 2 tsp finely chopped green olives
- 2 tsp finely chopped gherkins
- 2 tsp finely chopped capers
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh chives
For the scampi
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú plain flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 75²µ/2½´Ç³ú panko breadcrumbs
- 10 fresh (or frozen and defrosted) langoustines, peeled, or 12 king prawns, defrosted and peeled
- 1 litre/1¾ pint sunflower oil, for deep-frying
- salt
To serve
- lemon wedges
- tartare sauce
- chips
Method
For the mustard mayonnaise, put the mustard, egg, vinegar and salt into a blender and season with white pepper. Turn on the machine and very slowly pour in the oil through the hole in the lid until you have a thick emulsion. The mayonnaise will keep for about a week in the fridge.
Mix all the ingredients for the tartare sauce together and chill until needed.
Put the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Take the langoustines or prawns and dip them first in the flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs and set aside.
Heat the oil to 180C in a large, deep pan. Carefully lower in the langoustine or prawns three or four at a time and fry for 1–2 minutes until golden and crisp (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended). Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with salt and keep them warm while you cook the rest.
Serve with the tartare sauce, lemon wedges and some chips, if you like.
Recipe Tips
Reserve the langoustine shells for shellfish stock, which can be frozen for another recipe like arroz roja, risottos, sauces or soups.
