I’m a freak for mayonnaise so any excuse to serve it with shellfish and vegetables, I’m all in. Also, it’s very French (or that’s what I tell myself).

Our Salvador Dalí apéro course is Delightful Things to Eat with Ryan’s Garlic Aïoli. You’ll find recipes for the aïoli, poached asparagus, glazed potatoes, and of course, poached shrimp below.

I listed most of the steps that we would do in a restaurant, but it’s okay to take a few shortcuts. The beauty of all of these recipes is they can be made a day in advance.

Shortcuts To Take:

Aïoli: Grab your favorite mayonnaise (but it has to be Hellmann’s, Duke’s, or Kewpie), add lemon zest, microplaned garlic, and season with espelette.
Potatoes: They do work better if they’re peeled as the starch helps create a thick glaze, but it’s not necessary.
Asparagus: Skip peeling the asparagus if you’re crunched for time. It does add a little “wow” to the table, but it is a skill that even some professional cooks can’t do properly.
Poached Shrimp: If you must buy the shrimp already poached, promise to go to a reputable grocery store or fishmonger where they have them poached in the case (yes, Whole Foods does count). They’ll be more flavorful than pre-packaged cooked shrimp.

Lemon Aïoli
makes about 1 cup

*Shortcut:
Grab your favorite mayonnaise (but it has to be Hellmann’s, Duke’s, or Kewpie), add lemon zest, microplaned garlic, and season with espelette.

shopping list —

2 cloves garlic
1 whole egg
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp lemon juice, or the juice from one lemon
1 tsp champagne vinegar
1 cup canola oil
poached egg optional
zest of 2 lemons
salt to taste
espelette, to season optional

equipment —

immersion blender, blender, or food processor
rubber spatula

steps —

Add the garlic, whole egg, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and vinegar (and the poached egg, if using) to a blender or food processor.
*Adding a poached egg is a Jamie Malone trick. It makes the aïoli light and fluffy.
Blend on medium high speed and slowly drizzle in the canola oil until the consistency is to your liking. Scrape down the sides as needed.
*Chef Tip: if you notice your aïoli breaking, add a few splashes of cold water or a small amount of Dijon and that should fix it.
Fold in the lemon zest, espelette (if using), and season with salt to taste. Chill in the refrigerator.

Poached & Glazed Potatoes
serves 4

Shortcut:
The potatoes do work better if they’re peeled as the starch helps create a thick glaze, but it’s not necessary.*

shopping list —

2# baby gold or red potatoes, or tourne russets or Yukon golds if you want to be extra
3-4 tbsp crème fraîche, cold
3-4 tbsp European or high-quality butter, chilled
salt

equipment —

large pot
colander
mixing bowl

steps —

Cover the potatoes with cold water, season heavily with salt, and bring them up to a simmer. Cook until just tender.
Drain the potatoes and reserve a little of the starchy water.
Immediately toss the potatoes in a mixing bowl with half of the butter and crème fraîche and glaze. Add more fat if needed, until you create a thick glaze that coats the potatoes. You can add a splash of the starchy water if needed. Season to taste with salt.
*Using chilled butter and crème fraîche allows the fats to slowly melt and evenly disperse into a stable emulsion.
Chill the glazed potatoes on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Serve chilled.

Poached & Chilled Asparagus
serves 4

Shortcut:
Skip peeling the asparagus if you’re crunched for time. It does add a little “wow” to the table, but it is a skill that even some professional cooks can’t do properly.*

shopping list —

2# asparagus, the bigger the better if you’re peeling them
olive oil
salt
lemon juice

equipment —

large pot
ice bath
paring knife
peeler

steps —

Slice the woody ends off the asparagus. Rinse the asparagus in cold water.
Remove all the “scales” (leaf like bits) along the spear of the asparagus using a paring knife. Clean up the tip so you have the perfect bunch on top.
About 1/2” below the tips of the asparagus, use a paring knife to make a shallow notch all the way around the spear. From that notch, peel downward toward the base.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus for 1-3 minutes or until tender but still toothsome (they should still have a slight snap when bent).
Immediately shock in an ice bath until chilled. To be extra fancy, cut the bottoms of the spears on the bias.
Right before serving, toss with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt, and serve chilled.

Poached Shrimp
serves 4

Shortcut:
If you must* buy the shrimp already poached, promise to go to a reputable grocery store or fishmonger where they have them poached in the case (yes, Whole Foods does count). They’ll be more flavorful than pre-packaged cooked shrimp.

shopping list —

2# shrimp, 16/20s, thawed

for the court bouillon —

6g bay leaves
75g mustard seeds
35g coriander
20g allspice
7g cloves
1g red pepper flake
1 gallon water
1 qt white wine
3 each lemons, cut in half
Kosher salt to taste

equipment —

cheesecloth & butchers twine for a sachet
colander
serving plate or platter
crushed ice

for the prawn tower — optional

pins
Styrofoam cone

steps —

for the court bouillon —

Toast all the spices.
Place the spices in a cheesecloth tied with butcher’s twine to make a sachet.
In a large pot, combine the water, white wine, lemons, and the sachet.
Season the water heavily with salt (as salty as the ocean - but really).
Bring it all to a boil.

to poach —

Drain the shrimp in a colander.
Once the court bouillon is boiling, add the shrimp to the pot and give it a stir. The shrimp take about 3-5 minutes to cook, depending on the size. You can test one by pulling it out of the poaching liquid and cutting the tip of the head off. If it’s opaque and no longer raw, pull them out of the poaching liquid or drain them in a clean colander.
Either cool them off on a parchment-lined sheet tray in the refrigerator or in an ice bath. If using an ice bath, don’t let them sit in the water for too long.
If using peeled shrimp, clean them by cutting off the first quarter inch of the shrimp - where the head would be (this part is a little mushy in texture).
If the shrimp are head-on-tail-on, twist off the head and peel off the shell right up to the bright pink tail. Using a paring knife, make a shallow cut along the middle of its back and remove the intestinal tract.

to serve as a prawn tower —

Begin at the base of the cone, and pin the shrimp to the cone with their tails fanning up. Keep pinning the shrimp around so there’s no empty space. At the top, pin the shrimp so the tails are as dramatic as possible.

to serve on ice —

Arrange on a bed of ice with lemon wedges, lemon mayonnaise, and shellfish forks. Place a bowl near the shrimp for the tails:)

Questions about these recipes? Email britt@parisdiningclub.com