Hot buttered lobster
Serves 2
This decadent plate of shellfish, owes more than a nod to Rachel Allen, the Irish TV chef. Her original recipe is in Rachel’s Food for Living. As she says, it’s a hot, tasty lobster dish that will have your dining partner melting in ecstasy.
Ingredients
- 2 raw lobsters
- 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 600ml (20 fl oz water)
- 600ml (20 fl oz) dry white wine
- Sprig of parsley and thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2.5ml (1/2 tsp) black peppercorns
- Salt
- 50g (2 oz) butter
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 lemon, juiced, plus extra wedges
Method
- Put the carrot, onion, celery, water, wine, herbs, peppercorns and salt (enough to make an egg float) into a large saucepan with a lid and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Add the lobsters until they turn a very bright orange-red (this will take approx. 18-20 mins).
- Once the lobsters are cooked, remove from the pan and set to one side on a board.
- When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, cut them in half along the top, from head to tail, using a sharp knife and crack open the claws using a mallet. Extract all the meat and chop into 2cm (3/4 inch) chunks.
- Gently clean the lobster shells, keeping the head and tail ends intact, warm through in the oven at a low temperature.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan until hot and foaming, toss in the lobster meat for a minute, then season with lemon juice and ground pepper.
- To serve: using a slotted spoon, divide the lobster between the half shells on warmed plates, then spoon the buttery juices over the lobster meat and garnish with lemon wedges.
