Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal has enlisted the help of  Professor Douglas Neil in his search for the perfect dishes.

 

Professor Neil featured in the latest episode of Blumenthal's In Search of Perfection television programme, as the chef tries to gets to grips with fish pie.

Aboard the University's research vessel at Cumbrae in Aryshire, Douglas talked the chef through the best way to catch langoustines, to ensure they stay fresher longer.

The animal physiologist’s work monitoring the handling of langoustines as they journey to restaurant plates across Europe is helping fishermen improve their practice, raise the quality of their product and may even provide a sustainable solution to the overfishing crisis.

Langoustine is a valuable seafood resource, second in value only to mackerel in the UK. With 75 per cent of the UK’s langoustine industry based in Scotland, Professor Neil has found himself in just the right spot to study the breakdown processes in the sea creatures’ muscles, which affects the quality of their meat.

He said: "The muscle starts to degenerate as soon as the animal is caught. Taken out of its environment, the langoustine is exposed to air and higher temperatures, both of which speed up the post-mortem processes and make it easier for bacteria to invade.

"Our aim is to improve the handling practice on deck to preserve quality from the point when the langoustine gets out of the sea, so they can travel alive all the way to Spain, for example."

Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant in Bray, Berkshire, was named voted the best restaurant in the world in 2005 and was runner up in 2006 and 2007.

 

First published: 19 November 2007

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