Here is another great dish from the repertoire of Nicolas Jongleux. We used to scoff at people who said they knew how to make a great dessert that wasn’t too sweet. But as you get older and the espresso and the social cigarillos have started to erode your taste buds, you find yourself liking bourbon, lemon, and dandelion. This is a perfect little dessert in that fashion. It’s zingy and alive. We burn it with a blowtorch. If you don’t have one, just use your broiler. Heat it to the max and put whatever is holding the grapefruit right under it. Don’t forget dry rags or oven mitts and an ovenproof vessel.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
CURD
SYRUP
Preparation
Step 1
To make the curd, in a bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the lemon juice, egg yolk, and whole egg, mixing well. (Reserve the egg white for later.) Strain through a sieve into a bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and butter.
Step 2
Pour the mixture into a thick-bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat. Heat, stirring constantly, including into the corners of the pot—until the mixture reaches 185°F (84°C). You will notice it starting to bubble along the sides of the pan. When you see the bubbles, immediately transfer it to a bowl and refrigerate it.
Step 3
Rinse the saucepan so you can use it for the syrup. Add the sugar and water, stir once, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat, add the rosemary, and allow to infuse for 5 minutes. Strain the syrup through a sieve and set aside.
Step 4
Peel the grapefruits, keeping the segments whole and tidy (Google for a video, but you already know this). Drain off the excess juice and drink it with gin and a dash of the rosemary syrup.
Step 5
In a small bowl, whisk the reserved egg white until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Step 6
Get out your blowtorch, or preheat your broiler. Set out 4 broilerproof plates or individual gratin dishes. Put a grapefruit’s worth of segments on each plate, arranging them side by side. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the rosemary syrup over each portion of grapefruit segments. Gently fold the egg white into the curd, then spoon the curd evenly over the grapefruit portions.
Step 7
Run the torch over the curd topping until nice and caramelized, or put the plates or dishes on a rimmed baking sheet and slip under the broiler for a minute or two. Remember the top should be hot but not the bottom. That’s chaud froid! Serve right away.
