Thinning Shears for Hairstylists

Heston Blumenthal/In Search of Perfection/Fish stock
Serves 4

Preparation time 30 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
Ingredients

* For the stock
* 100g/3½oz grapeseed or groundnut oil
* 200g/7oz onion, thinly sliced
* 150g/5oz button mushrooms, cleaned, thinly sliced
* 100g/3½oz leek, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
* 100g/3½oz fennel, thinly sliced
* 250g/9oz carrots, thinly sliced
* 1 x 175g/6oz piece haddock tail flesh
* 1kg/2¼lb cleaned bones and head from haddock, or other white fish
* 50g/1¾oz vermouth liqueur
* 100g/3½oz dry white wine
* 4 garlic cloves
* 6 allspice berries
* 1 star anise
* 1 tbsp coriander seeds
* 2 tsp konbu (edible kelp – available from specialist Japanese stores)
* ¼ bunch fresh parsley
* For the stock fortification
* 16 whole langoustine, preferably live; or best-quality whole frozen langoustine
* 25g/1oz grapeseed or groundnut oil
* 100g/3½oz leek, thinly sliced
* 100g/3½oz carrot, thinly sliced
* 100g/3½oz onion, thinly sliced
* 25g/1oz garlic, thinly sliced
* 50g/2oz vermouth liqueur
* 100g/3½oz dry white wine
* reserved stock

Method

1. For the stock, pour the oil into a small (8 litre) pressure cooker and place over a medium heat.
2. Add the onion, mushrooms, leek, fennel and carrots and cook for 10-15 minutes, until soft, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, place the haddock flesh in a food processor and blend to a rough paste.
3. When the vegetables are softened and translucent, but not brown, add the fish, the head and the bones.
4. Immediately add the vermouth and the white wine and bring to the boil, stirring in the garlic, allspice, star anise and coriander seeds.
5. Add enough water to make about 4kg/8lb 13oz of liquid. (The pan should be about two-thirds full.) Cover with the lid and bring up to full pressure for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and allow to depressurise before removing the lid.
7. Add the konbu and parsley and allow to infuse for 30 minutes.
8. Strain the stock into a large bowl and set aside.
9. For the sock fortification, twist the heads off the langoustine and return the tails to the fridge.
10. Cut the antennae and eyes from the heads with scissors. Discard the lungs and gills, but reserve the rest of the heads and the claws. Reserve the liver and entrails separately for finishing the stock.
11. To prepare the tails, grasp the centre flap (teslon) between your thumb and index finger, then gently twist and pull to remove the intestines. (This works only with live langoustine; if using frozen ones, simply remove the intestines with a paring knife.) Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut along the shell lengthwise, taking care not to cut into the flesh, and separate the flesh from the shell.
12. Wrap all the tail meat in cling film and keep refrigerated until required.
13. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Combine all the shells with the heads and place in a single layer in a roasting pan. Place in the oven to dry roast, tossing them every five minutes until the moisture has evaporated and the shells have a light roasted aroma. Remove and set aside.
14. Meanwhile, pour the oil into a small pressure cooker over a medium heat. Add all the vegetables and cook for ten minutes.
15. When the vegetables are softened and translucent (but not brown) add the vermouth and white wine and bring to the boil.
16. Tip in all the roasted shells and pour in the reserved stock. Cover and bring to full pressure for 30 minutes.
17. Remove from the heat and allow to depressurise before removing the lid. Add the reserved livers and entrails and infuse for 30 minutes. Strain the fortified stock and allow to cool. The stock is now ready to use.

Duration : 0:2:48

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