Hot buttered lobster with summer herbs

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1¾ kilograms Live lobster; two weighing 900g would be
; best
Salt
1 Carrot
1 Onion
600 millilitres Dry white wine
600 millilitres Water
Bouquet garni
5 Black peppercorns; (5 to 6)
115 grams Butter
1 tablespoon Mixed herbs; up to 2
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Squeeze lemon juice
Lemon segments
Fresh herbs

Directions

COURT BOUILLON

GARNISH

Cook the lobsters by placing them in a pan of lukewarm salted water to cover. Use 115g salt to every 2⅖ litres water. Put the saucepan on a low heat and bring to simmering point slowly; lobsters expire at about 44C/112F. By this stage the lobsters will be changing colour, so remove them and discard all the cooking water.

Slice the carrot and onion for the court bouillon and put with the wine, fresh water, bouquet garni and peppercorns into a stainless-steel saucepan and bring to the boil. Replace the lobsters and cover with a tight fitting lid. Steam the lobsters until they become bright red, then remove them from the pot. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve for a sauce.

As soon as the lobsters are cool enough to handle, split them in half, and extract all the meat from the body, tail and large and small claws. Scrape out all the soft, greenish tomalley (the liver) from that part of the shell nearest the head and put it with the firmer meat into a warm bowl wrapped in a tea towel.

Heat the lobster shells in a cool oven. Cut the lobster meat into chunks.

Melt half the butter and when it is foaming, add the lobster meat and the tomalley and toss until the meat is heated through and the juice turns pink, then add the summer herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the lobster meat into the hot shells. Put the remaining butter into the pan to melt and scrape up any bits. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Pour the buttery juices into small heated ramekins and serve alongside the lobster on hot plates. Garnish with sprigs of fresh herbs and lemon segments. Eat immediately.

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Carlton Food Network

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