In his travelogue Following the Equator (1897), Mark Twain relates the legend that paradise was copied from Mauritius. You have to imagine the Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury as the most heavenly place in this paradise, provided you have a fascination for old-fashioned luxury hotels. In the evening, while the breeze gently stirs the leaves of the palm trees and the badamiers, the guests dress for an unchanging ritual. Men in shirts or polo shirts, women in evening dresses migrate to the Beach Bar to order a “royal medicine” (without prescription), the house cocktail made with rum, sparkling water and sugar cane that we sip watching the sun snorkel in the Indian Ocean.
In this luxury establishment in the north of the island, most of the customers are loyal fans of long stays of two to three weeks. They appreciate the atmosphere mixing exoticism and familiar softness of an opulent house in this vast complex comprising no less than three swimming pools.
“I mainly cook French cuisine with Mauritian products”
The gourmet restaurant La Goélette spreads out its white-covered tables facing the sea. Since December 2021, chef William Girard has been working miracles in the kitchen. This native of the Basque Country has traveled a lot. After earning his spurs in major Parisian gastronomic establishments, he notably worked in Asia in the restaurants of Yannick Alléno and in the West Indies. The globe-cooker uses all these influences to compose a mixed cuisine.
“I mainly cook French cuisine with Mauritian productshe says. We have retained know-how on traditional recipes which are starting to come back into fashion in France: crêpe suzette, hot chocolate prepared in front of customers on the trolley… But I can put rougails or curries on the menu that I sweeten a bit. little by replacing the spices that are too strong with Espelette pepper. » William Girard obviously works with local fish and shellfish. It offers a refined sweet and savory recipe to be served very cold.
Cucumber gazpacho and shrimp mango medallion
For 4 people
Preparation: 40 minutes
Ingredients :
For the gazpacho:
- 3 cucumbers
- ½ avocado
- 30 g arugula
- 10g olive oil
- 15g lemon juice
- 15g mint leaves
- 20g parsley leaves
- 100g fresh apple juice
- 10g garlic
- tabasco
- 60g cottage cheese
- salt
Remove seeds from cucumbers and dice them. Mix with all the rest of the ingredients and finish with the cottage cheese, check the seasoning. Keep cool.
For garnish :
- 100g mango
- 100 g cucumber, diced
- 20g chopped mint
- 20g chopped coriander
- olive oil
- lemon
- 4 prawns cut into medallions
Mix all the ingredients for the filling, then mold into a circle. Pour a little gazpacho on the plate, arrange the medallions on top and decorate with the aromatic herbs.
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