Difficulty: Medium
In a Dutch oven, bring 1 liter of water to a boil over high heat. Add the prepared crayfish (*). Return to a boil, then count 50 seconds before removing them. Reserve the cooking water and rinse the crayfish under cool water. Separate the tails from the heads of 24 crayfish, reserving 4 whole ones. Shell the 24 tails and set aside.
In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil. Add the crayfish heads, chopped onion and carrot (peeled and washed), tomatoes, and bouquet garni. Sauté until well browned. Deglaze with cognac, then add white wine. Cook for 5 minutes, pour in the reserved crayfish cooking water, and simmer for 15 more minutes. Strain the mixture and reduce to 2 glasses of liquid (crayfish fumet). Set aside.
Rinse the sole fillets under cold water and cut into diagonal strips (goujonnettes).
Prepare the cabbage: discard tough outer leaves, finely slice, and blanch in salted boiling water for 15 minutes. Shock under cold water, drain, and sweat in 2 knobs of butter.
In a sauté pan, melt 2 knobs of butter. Sear the sole goujonnettes for 2 minutes per side, then the crayfish tails for 1 minute. Set aside.
Crush the 4 garlic cloves. In a small sauté pan, reduce the pastis, then add garlic and crayfish fumet. Simmer, strain, and stir in the cream.
Mound the cabbage in the center of 4 plates. Arrange the sole goujonnettes and crayfish tails around it in a crown. Keep warm.
Reheat the sauce, mount with 2 knobs of butter while whisking vigorously. Adjust seasoning. Spoon the sauce over the dish, garnish with whole crayfish, and finish with chervil sprigs.
Expert Tip: Ask your fishmonger for 800 g of pre-filleted and trimmed sole fillets for ease.
Joëlle's Insight: The subtle scent of garlic perfectly flavors this delicate mixture of sole and crayfish, enhanced by the wilted green cabbage.
(*) See: https://www.recettes-hubert.com/feuiell/
