Cala Montjoi Goose Barnacles

By corlear

Ingredients

• For the goose barnacles:
• 8 3/4 oz fresh nori seaweed in cooking salt
• 2 cups water
• 5 sheets gelatin (previously rehydrated in cold water)
• For the seaweed soup:
• 1 3/4 oz fresh nori seaweed in cooking salt
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 sheet gelatin (previously rehydrated in cold water)
• For the fennel juice:
• 4 oz fresh fennel
• 1/2 cup water
• For the fennel gelatin:
• 1/2 cup fresh fennel juice (see previous step)
• 1/2 sheet gelatin (previously rehydrate in cold water)

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

For the goose barnacles:
1. Shake the seaweed to remove the cooking salt.
2. Hydrate in 1000-g water for 5 seconds. Place in a colander to drain off the excess water. Do not press the seaweed.
3. Use a pair of scissors to cut the seaweed into uneven pieces.
4. Put 2 cups of water in a blender and add the seaweed.
5. Blend until you have a smooth mixture.
6. Use a spoon to press the mixture through a sieve to obtain a liquid with the sediment and then sieve again without pressing to get rid of any excess sediment.
7. Heat ¼ of the seaweed water and dissolve the gelatin in it.
8. Remove from the heat and mix with the rest of the seaweed.
9. Pour a ¾" layer in one dish and a 1 ¼" layer in another dish. Set. Stir the seaweed water thoroughly to mix in the sediment before dividing the liquid.
10. Leave to set in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

For the seaweed soup:
1. Shake the seaweed to remove the cooking salt.
2. Put the water and seaweed in a pan over a high heat. When it starts to boil, drain and keep the water on one side.
3. Heat ¼ of the water and dissolve the gelatin in it.
4. Remove from the heat and mix with the rest of the water.
5. Leave to set in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

For the fennel juice:
1. Remove the leaves from the stems. Cut the stems into small pieces.
2. Blanche the stems for 2 minutes and the leaves for 30 seconds. Freshen and drain
3. Blend all the fennel and the water together in a food processor. Strain and sieve.

Note: It is important not to add salt to the fennel juice, as it would loose a lot of its flavor.

For the fennel gelatin:
1. Heat ¼ of the fennel juice and dissolve the gelatin in it.
2. Remove from the heat and mix with the rest of the fennel juice.
3. Keep in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
4. Break the gelatin up with a spoon and put it in a baster. It should have the consistency of a thick cream.

Final Steps & Preparation:
1. Make cylinders, 2/3" in diameter, out of 1 ½" wide PVC tape.
2. Use this mould to cut into the seaweed gelatin to make the goose barnacles and arrange 3 large and 3 small ones on the right-hand side of the dish, alternating one large with one small one.
3. Break the seaweed gelatin up for the soup and put a spoonful in the center of the dish.
4. Finish the dish by putting some blobs of fennel gelatin on the left-hand side of the dish, without allowing the gelatin to touch the seaweed soup.