John Williams’ Native Lobster, Spiced Carrot and Verbena

Method

• 1

  Step 1

  For the lobster: Blanche the lobster in boiling water with plenty of salt. Remove the claws and carry on cooking them for 3 minutes.
• 2

  Step 2

  Refresh into iced salted water.
• 3

  Step 3

  Crack the claws and remove the claw and knuckle meat. Remove the meat from the tail.
• 4

  Step 4

  Cook the baby carrots with a butter emulsion and a leaf of lemon verbena.
• 5

  Step 5

  Cut the lobster tail in half, long ways and remove the intestine.
• 6

  Step 6

  Reheat the lobster tail, claw and knuckle meat at 55°C in a little butter, water, salt for five minutes then remove from bag and glaze in sauce. Cook very gently and do not go above 60°C. This is essential to retain the delicate texture, otherwise the meat will toughen.
• 7

  Step 7

  For the Spiced Carrot Purée: Dry roast the spices. Wrap them in a muslin. Cook the carrots in the carrot juice, with the spice bag with the lid on the pan.
• 8

  Step 8

  When the carrots are soft, drain them in a colander. Blend them until smooth, and season with salt and sugar to your taste.
• 9

  Step 9

  For the Lemon Verbena Sauce: Roast the Lobster carcass in oil and salted butter. Add the mirepoix and spices and cook for about 5 mins until the shell is quite red.
• 10

  Step 10

  Flame with Armagnac and then add the white wine. Then reduce down until they have turned to a syrup.
• 11

  Step 11

  Add the cream, bring to boil and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes.
• 12

  Step 12

  Pass through a colander, crushing the carcass. Pass through fine sieve and mount the sauce with butter, salt and sugar to taste.