Langoustines with ginger, lemon and dill.

Rinse the langoustines under cold water. Remove the heads by giving them a quarter turn as you pull: they come away easily. Keep the tails whole, in their shells, which will protect the flesh while it cooks.

Squeeze the lemons. Peel the garlic clove, remove the green germ and slice it very finely. Peel the piece of ginger and grate it (or chop it with a knife until it's almost a purée).

Lay the langoustine tails in a shallow dish, in a single layer if possible. Pour over the lemon juice, then add the garlic, ginger and pepper. No salt at this stage: it would draw the water out of the flesh. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 2 hours, turning the langoustines once halfway through.

Drain the langoustines in a colander, then pat them dry gently with kitchen paper: damp flesh boils instead of searing. Strain the marinade through a chinois or a small fine sieve, keep the liquid to one side and throw away the bits of garlic.

Put two plates to warm (in the oven at 60 degrees, or under very hot running water, then dried). Heat a large frying pan over a high heat with the 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil: it should be smoking before the langoustines go anywhere near it.

Add the tails without crowding the pan and sear them for 1 minute 30 to 2 minutes on each side. The flesh turns white and pearly and shrinks slightly (the shell barely changes colour). That's them done: an overcooked langoustine goes woolly.

Transfer the langoustines to the warm plates. Peel them halfway (open the underside of the shell and ease out the flesh, keeping the last segment and the tail fan, which looks prettier and makes them easier to pick up). Now add salt, a pinch at a time.

Put the pan back on the heat, pour in the strained marinade and let it bubble for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. It should reduce by half and turn syrupy, with that smell of hot lemon and ginger rising all at once.

Spoon the reduced juices over the langoustines, sprinkle with chopped dill and finish with one last grind of pepper. Serve immediately, with the bread so nothing is left on the plate, and napkins, which are essential.