Ludovic Lefebvre
BASTIDE | Los Angeles

Ludovic LeFebvre became the boundary-defying risk taker he is today with support from Michelin star-studded training and mentors such as Pierre Gagnaire, who taught LeFebvre to harness his naturally experimental disposition. Raised in Burgundy, LeFebvre spent hours in the kitchen cooking every night with his grandmother. He honed his skills at celebrated French establishments such as L'Arpege and L'Esperance before moving to Los Angeles with the goal of changing the way Californians experience fine dining. LeFebvre first captured the attention of critics and patrons alike as the Executive Chef of L’Orangerie, earning a reputation for combining Old World simplicity with subtle exotic New World flavors. At Bastide, LeFebvre uses his striking knowledge of spices and constantly experiments with unusual flavor combinations. “If I am not cooking, then I am going crazy,” he says.

Fried Vermicelli, Langoustines and Clams with Cinnamon Butter
Chef Ludovic Lefebvre of Bastide - Los Angeles, CA
Adapted by StarChefs.com

Yield: 1 Serving

Ingredients:

Lobster Glace:
• 10 liters lobster stock
  
  Langoustines:
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• Grey salt and pepper, as needed
• 3 langoustines, shelled
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 pinches Ceylon cinnamon, to dust on top of langoustines
  
  Vermicelli with Clams:
• 8 to 10 ounces lobster stock
• 1 package vermicelli noodles, deep fried until golden brown
• Butter, cut into Tablespoons, as needed
• Grey salt and pepper, as needed
• 5 Manila clams, steamed in white wine
  
  Cinnamon Beurre Blanc:
• 1 liter white wine
• 500 milliliters heavy cream
• 100 grams butter, softened
• 1 Tablespoon Ceylon cinnamon
• Grey salt, as needed

Method:

For Lobster Glace:
In a stock pot, reduce lobster stock until it becomes a glaze. It should be able to coat the back of a spoon. Strain through a chinois or mesh strainer. Tapping the top with a ladle will help it pass through. When you have the last ounce of sauce in the chinois, stop and throw it away.
If you pass it through the chinois too much, the glaze will be grainy.

For Langoustines:
Heat a cast-iron pan with olive oil until it is almost smoking. Swirl oil around to cure the pan. Turn down heat to medium. Season langoustine with salt and pepper. Sear lightly on both sides until light brown. Add butter to pan and baste over langoustine off the heat. Baste for one minute. Remove from pan and set aside.

For Fried Vermicelli with Clams:
Heat lobster stock in a pot, then break the noodles and cook with lobster stock until al dente. Make sure the lobster stock reduces by 75 percent. Over low heat, finish by adding butter, salt, pepper and clams. Swirl the pot until the butter becomes creamy and shiny.

For Cinnamon Beurre Blanc:
In a pot over medium heat, reduce wine and cream by half. Use an immersion blender to blend butter and cinnamon until mixture is thick.
Season with salt to taste.

To Assemble and Serve:
Place a serving of noodles in center of serving plate. Top with the langoustines. Drizzle the beurre blanc and glaze all over the plate and garnish with a pinch of the cinnamon.

Wine Pairing:
Semillon, Ruston 'Juliana Vineyard,' Napa Valley, California, 2003

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