Risotto with Langoustines and Candied Lemon

Method

1. Remove the eyes from the scampi heads. Reserve the heads and shells for the stock.
2. For the stock: sauté finely chopped carrot, celery, and onion in butter until soft. Add a clove of garlic and the scampi heads and shells. Cook for a few minutes, then deglaze with gin. Add a spoonful of tomato concentrate and enough water to cover. Add wide strips of lemon peel (use a peeler). Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve the liquid.
3. For the candied lemon: Peel the lemon in wide strips, removing the white pith. Blanch the peels three times: starting from cold water, bring to a boil, then drain and refresh with cold water. After the third blanching, prepare a syrup with 100 ml water and 50 g sugar. Add the peels and simmer until translucent, about 10 minutes. Keep warm in the syrup.
4. Clean the scampi: remove the carapace and the intestinal vein. Set the tails aside.
5. Make the scampi cream: In a saucepan, combine the carapaces, a piece of carrot, celery, and onion. Add a ladle of the reserved stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Press through a fine sieve, extracting as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
6. Start the risotto: In a large pan, sweat finely chopped onion in a knob of butter until translucent. Add a small clove of garlic. Add the rice and toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring often. Deglaze with a splash of gin.
7. Begin adding the hot stock one ladle at a time, stirring continuously and maintaining a gentle boil. Cook until the rice is al dente, about 16–18 minutes.
8. When the rice is almost ready, stir in the scampi cream. Remove from heat and add a knob of cold butter and a generous grind of black pepper. Cover and let rest for 1 minute.
9. Slice the raw scampi tails very thinly. Serve the risotto topped with the slices and a few pieces of candied lemon peel.