CREAM OF CANNELLINI

INGREDIENTS

200 gr. Cannellini beans (Italian beans), "Bouquet garni"
1 lt. Light fish stock
30 gr. River shrimps (speciality of Mauritius)
15 cl. Olio novo (fresh extra virgin olive oil)
4/8 pcs. Sea scallops
10 gr. Fresh Rosemary
6 gr. Fresh Ginger
1 gr. Chilli
1 gr. Garlic

PREPARATION

The beans
Soak the beans overnight in a bowl full of water, then rinse and cook with the "bouquet garni" (celery, onions, carrots, rosemary and few grains of black pepper) starting from cold water without salt. When the beans are cooked, separate them from the liquid and keep aside.

The oil
In a sauteuse, warm the fresh olive oil, add garlic, chilli, ginger and the dry shrimps; fry gently for 3/4 min., then cool down and mix in the blender. Place the mixture in a container and let the olive oil settle down from the rest for 1 hour. Strain the olive oil in a filter to remove all impurities and keep the paste wich remain on the bottom of the container. Warm up the olive oil again to 60º, add chopped rosemary and remove from the fire. Keep aside.

The cream
In a sauteuse, warm the olive oil, add the remaining paste (above) and a spoon of tomato sauce. Let start frying and then add 2/3 of the cooked beans, sautée for 5/6 min, and add fish stock and the beans cooking broth in the same proportion. Boil for a few minutes, let cool down and mix in a food processor. Add the remaining whole beans to the cream and set the desired thickness by adding more fish stock and beans broth with the same proportion.

The St. Jacques (sea scallops):
Cut the scallops in 2 or 3 horizontal slices, depending on the size, season with freshly crushed black pepper and a little salt; quick deep fry in olive oil and keep warm.