Open ravioli of spot prawns and avocado with chilled tomato and basil consomme

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1½ carrots, chopped
• 1¼ small onions, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• ½ small bulb fennel, chopped
• 1 leek, white part only, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 ripe Rom a tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 4 cups water
• 1 chicken breast, about 4 oz
• 1 red beet, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 egg whites
• Stalks from 1-2 sprigs basil

• 12 spot prawns, heads removed
• 1 orange juice
• 1 lime juice
• 1 lime Zest
• ½ red chili, very finely chopped
• 10 cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1½ Tbsp olive oil
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
• 1 lemon juice
• Dash ofTabasco

• 8 basil leaves
• 8 oz pasta dough

1. TOMATO AND BASIL CONSOMME: In a heavy-bottomed saute pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add I carrot, I onion, 2 ribs celery, fennel, leek, garlic, thy me and bay leaf and roast until soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, cover the pan and cook for a further 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for I minute. Cover the mixture with water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.
2. Strain this tomato stock through a cheesecloth and chill in the refrigerator until cold.
3. In a food processor, blend together chicken breast, the remaining ½ carrot, ¼ onion, I rib celery and the beet and egg whites to make a clarification. Transfer this mixture to a medium saucepan and whisk in cold tomato stock. Place the saucepan on medium heat, stirring continuously until the clarification rises and sets on top of the stock. Break a small hole in the surface of the clarification and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Strain the stock through a cheesecloth and add basil stalks to infuse. Chill in the refrigerator for at least I hour.
4. SPORT PRAWN AND AVOCADO FILLING: Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add prawns and blanch for I5 seconds. Remove the prawns from the water and peel them.
5. In a medium non-reactive bowl, combine orange juice, lime juice, lime zest, chili, cilantro and olive oil. Add prawns and marinate for at least I hour. In a small bowl, crush avocado with a fork. Season with lemon juice, Tabasco and a pinch of salt and pepper.
6. RAVIOLI PASTA: Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add basil leaves and blanch for 5 seconds, then remove them from the pot and plunge them into an ice bath to refresh. Allow them to dry on a paper towel.
7. Roll out pasta dough to a 1/16-inch thickness. Lay out the basil leaves over one half of the pasta sheet, then fold the other half overtop to sandwich the leaves in the pasta. Roll this pasta sheet to the thickness of a dime.
8. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Cut the pasta sheet into eight 2½-inch squares. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta squares and blanch for 2 minutes, then immediately plunge them into an ice bath to refresh. Lay the squares out on the lined baking sheet and brush each square gently with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.