You won't find better-tasting lobsters anywhere
You won't find better-tasting lobsters anywhere
We suspect this combo was invented in the US, but at the risk of upsetting the rest of the world, we think the most delicious, sweetest lobsters come from around UK shores. Our version lives on at THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay in our Lobster Shed. There's something about eating seafood in sight of the sea that just feels right. At The Lobster Shed you can see the sea from our terrace, and lobster fisherman Johnny Murt in his boat, lifting his pots. The catch gets to our kitchen within an hour of being caught and end up on the plate the same day. You won't find better-tasting lobsters anywhere.
Ingredients
For the lobster
- 1 medium-sized lobster
- forager's butter (see page 136)
- forager's mayo (see page 136)
- salt and pepper
For the court bouillon
- 150ml (5fl oz) white wine
- 150ml (5fl oz) white wine vinegar
- 150ml (5fl oz) water
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 1 sprig of tarragon
- 10 peppercorns
For the chips
- 1-2 Maris Piper potatoes per person (depending on size)
- vegetable or sunflower oil (to fill a deep-fat fryer or chip pan)
Method
For the chips... you'll need to start your prep the day before you plan to cook. Cut a small slice from one side of each potato and place the cut side down on the chopping board. This should mean the potato is now nice and stable and won't roll around as you try to chop it. Cut lengthways into 1cm (½ inch) slices, while keeping the potato together. Lay these down on their flat side, and cut into chips 1cm (½ inch) wide.
Place the chips in a bowl and cover with cold water. Then put them in the refrigerator overnight to release the starch.
On day 2 (eating day!), drain off the water and rinse quickly.
For the first cook, steam the chips for 8 minutes using a double boiler pan or an electric steamer. You want them to part-cook, so you get that nice, fluffy texture inside. Plunge them into some cold water to chill, then drain and lay them on kitchen paper to soak up any excess moisture. They'll spit once they get in the fryer if there's too much water in them.
Preheat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 120°C (250°F).
For the second cook, blanch the chips in the hot oil for 8-10 minutes, then chill them. When you're ready to eat, preheat the oil in the deep-fat fryer to 180-190°C (350-375°F), and fry the chips until golden brown and crispy. Season and serve. They need to be eaten on the day of cooking and can't be reheated, but in our experience that doesn't tend to be a problem...
Cut the lobster in half, remove the roe, brains and intestinal tubes. Remove the claws.
Make a court bouillon by putting all the ingredients for it in a pan and bringing to a simmer. Cook the claws in the court bouillon for 5 minutes. Set them aside on a plate, keeping the stock hot.
Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C fan (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Season and griddle the flesh side of the lobster halves in a hot griddle pan until dark lines are formed on the tail meat.
Put the lobster on a tray, top with forager's butter and bake for 3-5 minutes, depending on size.
Reheat the claws in the court bouillon for 1 minute, crack with the back of your knife and serve with forager's mayo.
