Complete menu: Fish soup, Shrimp vol-au-vent, Mushroom puff pastries and strawberry-mascarpone dessert

Ingredients

• 400 g Shrimp (shells and flesh) (peeled, keep shells for the broth)
• 300 g Fish carcass (or heads, for the broth)
• 1 Fennel (white part diced, green part reserved for garnish)
• 1 Carrot (sliced into rounds)
• 1 Leek (white and green parts, sliced)
• 1 bouquet Flat parsley (chopped)
• 1 bouquet Cilantro (chopped)
• 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 2 L Water
• to taste Salt
• to taste Ground pepper
• 150 g Squid (cut into rings)
• 150 g Cuttlefish
• 300 g Boneless white fish (cod)
• 2 stalks Spring onions (very thinly sliced)
• 30 g Parsley butter (butter mixed with chopped parsley)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 200 g Tomato purée
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch (diluted in a little water)
• 6 Vol‑au‑vent shells (ready to fill)
• 1 small Shallot (finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp Pesto (homemade or store‑bought)
• 200 ml Liquid cream
• 1 tsp Herbes de Provence
• 1 roll (250 g) Puff pastry
• 200 ml Whole cream
• 100 g Crème fraîche
• 100 g Chicken or turkey bacon
• 100 g Button mushrooms (diced)
• 50 g Grated cheese (Gruyère)
• 1 Egg yolk
• 2 medium Tomatoes for salad (cored and sliced)
• 125 g Mozzarella balls
• 100 g Fresh spinach
• a few leaves Fresh basil
• 300 g Strawberries (cut into small dice)
• 250 g Mascarpone
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 6 Ladyfingers
• 2 tbsp Strawberry syrup

Instructions

1. Prepare the seafood broth

   Peel the shrimp, reserving the shells, and keep the flesh separate. Cut the fennel (white part), the carrot into rounds, the leek into sections, chop the parsley and cilantro. Place the shells, the fish carcass, the vegetables, the crushed garlic, salt, pepper and cover with water in a large pot. Bring to medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: medium

2. Cut the proteins for the soup

   While the broth simmers, cut the squid, the cuttlefish and the white fish into bite‑size pieces. Remove the small vein from the peeled shrimp.

   Time: PT10M

3. Make the new‑onion sauce

   Finely slice the spring onions. In a sauté pan, melt the parsley butter with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the onions and sweat them until translucent (≈5 min). Incorporate the fish pieces, season lightly with salt, pepper, then add the tomato purée. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: medium

4. Strain the broth and add the seafood

   Strain the broth through a chinois into a clean saucepan. Return the broth to the heat, add the shrimp, squid, cuttlefish and white fish. Stir gently.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium

5. Thicken the soup

   Dilute the cornstarch in a little cold water, then incorporate it into the broth while stirring. Cook for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium

6. Garnish the soup

   Sprinkle the soup with finely chopped green fennel just before serving.

   Time: PT2M

7. Prepare the vol‑au‑vent filling

   Finely chop a shallot and a garlic clove. Sauté them in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil until colored. Add the pesto, the peeled shrimp, then moisten with 10 cl of water, the liquid cream and the diluted cornstarch. Season with salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence. Let thicken for 5‑7 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: medium

8. Cook the vol‑au‑vent

   Fill the vol‑au‑vent shells with the filling, place on a tray and bake for 10 minutes at 180°C to lightly brown.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 180°C

9. Prepare the puff pastries

   Roll out the puff pastry, cut into four squares. Fold the edges to form small parcels. In a bowl, mix the whole cream, crème fraîche, bacon, diced mushrooms, grated cheese, salt, pepper. Fill each pastry, brush with egg yolk. Place on a tray and bake for 30 minutes at 180°C until golden.

   Time: PT40M

   Temperature: 180°C

10. Prepare the tomato‑mozzarella salad

    Slice the tomatoes, remove the seeds. Arrange on a bed of fresh spinach, add the mozzarella balls, a few basil leaves and drizzle with a splash of pesto. Salt and pepper to taste.

    Time: PT10M

11. Prepare the strawberry‑mascarpone dessert

    Whisk the mascarpone with the liquid cream until a firm chantilly forms. Fold in the diced strawberries with the sugar and let macerate for 5 minutes. In serving glasses, place a ladyfinger soaked in strawberry syrup, add a layer of whipped cream, then the macerated strawberries. Repeat layers and garnish with a whole strawberry.

    Time: PT15M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

620

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

25 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Shrimp (shells and flesh): other crustaceans
• Instead of Fish carcass: fish bones
• Instead of Squid: cuttlefish
• Instead of Boneless white fish (cod): sole, pollock
• Instead of Spring onions: shallots
• Instead of Parsley butter: regular butter
• Instead of Olive oil: rapeseed oil
• Instead of Tomato purée: crushed tomatoes
• Instead of Cornstarch: potato starch
• Instead of Pesto: tomato basil sauce
• Instead of Liquid cream: whipping cream
• Instead of Puff pastry: shortcrust pastry
• Instead of Whole cream: whipping cream
• Instead of Crème fraîche: Greek yogurt
• Instead of Chicken or turkey bacon: bacon
• Instead of Button mushrooms: porcini
• Instead of Grated cheese (Gruyère): Emmental
• Instead of Tomatoes for salad: cherry tomatoes
• Instead of Mozzarella balls: mozzarella log
• Instead of Fresh spinach: arugula
• Instead of Strawberries: red berries
• Instead of Mascarpone: 30% cream cheese
• Instead of Sugar: honey
• Instead of Ladyfingers: savoiardi biscuits
• Instead of Strawberry syrup: diluted strawberry jam

Equipment Needed

• Large pot
• Saucepan or small pot
• Sauté pan
• Fine‑mesh sieve (chinois)
• Immersion blender (optional) (optional)
• Whisk
• Mixing bowls
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring spoons
• Silicone spatula
• Baking sheet
• Oven
• Kitchen tongs (optional)
• Pastry brush (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Strain the broth to achieve a clear texture
• Thicken the soup with cornstarch without forming lumps
• Do not overcook the shrimp in the vol‑au‑vent
• Precise baking of the pastries at 180°C to avoid soggy layers

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use fresh fennel for a subtle anise aroma in the broth
• Parsley butter adds an incomparable depth of flavor – prepare the butter by mixing unsalted butter with finely chopped parsley
• Sprinkle the pastries with a little parmesan before baking for an even more flavorful crust

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Soup 2 days, vol‑au‑vent and pastries 2 days, salad to be consumed the same day, dessert 2 days.

Freezer: Seafood broth can be frozen for 1 month; vol‑au‑vent and pastries can be frozen for 1 month after cooking.

Room temperature: No room‑temperature storage beyond 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the seafood broth the day before and keep it refrigerated
• The vol‑au‑vent filling can be made 2 hours ahead and gently reheated
• The pastries can be baked ahead and reheated in the oven for 5 minutes before serving
• The dessert keeps refrigerated and the layers can be assembled the day before