The Emerald & Umber Mosaïque

*A Chilled Seafood Ballotine with Cucumber Scales & Smoked Trout*

#### **1. The Seafood Mousseline (The Core)**

* **Ingredients:** 200g Scallops (chilled), 1 Egg White, 100ml Heavy Cream (ice cold), salt, white pepper.

* **The Inlay:** 50g Smoked Trout (cut into long,  batons).

* **Technique:** 1.  Pulse scallops and egg white in a food processor until a smooth paste forms.

2.  Slowly stream in the cream while pulsing until fully incorporated. **Do not over-process** or the friction will "cook" the protein.

3.  Pass through a fine sieve to remove any sinew.

#### **2. The Ballotine Construction**

1. Lay a large sheet of high-quality plastic wrap on a damp workspace.

2. Spread the mousseline into a 15cm rectangle about 1cm thick.

3. Place the **Smoked Trout batons** in a straight line down the center.

4. Using the plastic wrap, roll the mousseline tightly into a cylinder (approx. 4cm diameter). Tie the ends in knots to create a "sausage" shape.

5. **Poach:** Submerge in a water bath at **62°C** for 20 minutes.

6. **Shock:** Immediately plunge into an ice bath for 30 minutes. **It must be completely cold to slice cleanly.**

#### **3. The "Emerald" Shingling (Cucumber)**

* **Ingredients:** 2 English Cucumbers, 1 tsp Xanthan Gum (optional, for "glue").

* **Technique:**

1. Mandoline the cucumber into paper-thin rounds.

2. Blanch for **3 seconds** in boiling water, then ice-shock. Pat perfectly dry.

3. Unwrap the chilled ballotine. Lightly brush with a "glue" made of reduced dashi or a tiny bit of Xanthan-thickened water.

4. **Shingle:** Overlap the cucumber circles in a scale pattern around the entire cylinder. Wrap tightly in a new layer of plastic and chill for 1 hour to set the shape.

#### **4. The Umber Beet Reduction**

* **Ingredients:** 200ml Fresh Beet Juice, 20ml Balsamic Vinegar, 1 Star Anise.

* **Technique:** Simmer all ingredients in a small pan until reduced to a thick, syrupy glaze ( of original volume). It should be dark, almost black-purple.

---

### 🎨 Plating Like a Master

1. **The Canvas:** Use a wide, flat matte-white or slate-gray plate.

2. **The Stroke:** Use a flat pastry brush to paint a bold, 2-inch wide stripe of the **Beet Reduction** across the plate.

3. **The Slice:** Remove the ballotine from the plastic. Using a **very sharp, hot knife**, slice into 4cm thick rounds. The "Emerald" cucumber should cling perfectly to the "Umber" trout center.

4. **The Placement:** Place two slices of the ballotine off-center on the beet stroke.

5. **The Accents:** Drop tiny "pearls" of **Citrus Emulsion** (lemon juice whisked with neutral oil and a touch of lecithin) around the base.

6. **The Garnish:** Use tweezers to add a few sprigs of bronze fennel for an airy, coastal texture.

---

### 🧪 Technical Insight: The "Scale" Adhesion

To ensure the cucumber doesn't slide off when you bite into it, the **surface moisture** of the fish must be managed. If the ballotine is too wet, the scales slip. If it’s too dry, they won’t stick. A light dusting of **Transglutaminase** (Meat Glue) is the professional "cheat" for a perfect bond, but the blanching/chilling method works beautifully for home kitchens.