Sous Vide Veal Cheeks with Langoustine and Beetroot Tartare

Brine the veal cheeks: dissolve salt in water (about 50 g salt per liter) and submerge the veal cheeks. Refrigerate for 24 hours.

Remove the veal cheeks from the brine, rinse briefly and pat dry. Season with black pepper.

Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Sear the veal cheeks until deeply browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside.

In the same pan, sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until caramelized, about 8-10 minutes.

Deglaze with red wine, scraping up all the browned bits. Reduce by half. Add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.

Place the veal cheeks in vacuum bags, divide the braising liquid and aromatics between the bags. Seal tightly.

Cook sous vide at 72°C for 12-16 hours. At this temperature the cheeks remain firm enough to slice while becoming tender.

Remove from bags, strain and reserve the cooking liquid for sauce. Slice the veal cheeks into medallions before serving.

Cut the beetroot into large chunks and place in a vacuum bag with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Cook sous vide at 85°C for 3 hours until tender but still with some bite.

Let cool, then dice the beetroot into small cubes (about 5mm).

Just before serving, mix the beetroot cubes with capers and spring onions. Season with salt and pepper.

Use a small ring mold to press the tartare into neat rounds on each plate.

Boil the parsnips in salted water until very tender, about 20-25 minutes.

Drain well and let steam dry for a few minutes.

Puree the parsnips in a food processor or with an immersion blender.

Add the cream and butter, blend until silky smooth. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.

Transfer to a piping bag and keep warm. For service, pipe onto plates or keep warm in a sous vide bath at 60°C.

Optional: make parsnip chips by thinly slicing parsnip, tossing in oil, and baking at 140-160°C until crisp.

Season the langoustine tails lightly with salt.

Heat butter in a pan over medium-high heat until foaming.

Add the langoustine tails and garlic, sear for 1-2 minutes per side until just cooked through. Do not overcook.

Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh herbs.

Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, slice the carrots into long, thin ribbons.

Combine the sushi vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Stir until dissolved.

Add the carrot ribbons to the pickling liquid and let marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Drain the carrot ribbons and pat dry.

Take a small bundle of enoki mushrooms and wrap a pickled carrot ribbon around it to form a roll. Repeat with remaining carrots and enoki.

Arrange 2-3 carrot-enoki rolls per plate as garnish.

Reduce the reserved veal cooking liquid in a saucepan until it coats the back of a spoon. Strain and keep warm.

Warm the plates. Pipe or spoon the parsnip puree onto one side of each plate.

Place the beetroot tartare using a ring mold on the plate.

Arrange sliced veal cheek medallions next to the puree.

Place 2 langoustine tails per plate.

Drizzle the reduced sauce around the veal.

Garnish with micro herbs, parsnip chips if using, pickled carrot-enoki rolls, and a pinch of fleur de sel on the langoustine.