Scampi in Saffron Batter with Winter Salad

Batter
150 g (1 1/2 cups) flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
30 g (1/3 cup) cornstarch
1 egg
Pinch ground saffron
Salt
Water
2 tbsp. sesame oil 
8 scampi, unpeeled
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp. flour
300 g (10 oz.) butter and oil

Winter Salad and Vinaigrette
50 g (2 oz.) cubed shallot, pumpkin and carrot
5 tbsp. sesame oil
50 ml (3 tbsp.) vegetable stock
1 tsp. chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. honey
Salt and pepper
5 tbsp. vinegar
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 cherry tomatoes
100 g (3 1/2 oz.) salad leaves (red oak leaf, chicory, lollo rosso)
1 sprig cilantro 

Method
Combine and sift the flour, baking powder and corn starch. Stir into it 150 ml (generous 1/2 cup) ice water with the egg, saffron and salt. Allow the batter to stand for about 30 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil and let the batter stand an additional 10 minutes.

Peel the scampi, leaving the tail fins on. Make a cut down the back of the scampi, devein them, wash and blot dry. Season with salt and pepper and toss in the 2 tbsp. flour. Then coat with the saffron batter and fry in the hot butter and oil until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Preparing the Winter Salad 
Brown the cubed vegetables in 2 tbsp. sesame oil. Add the vegetable stock, bring to a gentle boil and reduce slightly. Cool. Season to taste with honey, salt and pepper. Add the vinegar, 3 tbsp. of sesame oil and the vegetable oil.

Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise, quickly blanch, rinse, peel, quarter, core and remove any remains of the stalks. Wash and dry the salad greens and tear into bite-sized pieces.

Arrange the salad greens and tomato quarters on 4 plates. Sprinkle with the vinaigrette and garnish with the cilantro. Place two of the fried scampi next to each salad. Serves 4.