Lobster mash

Method

1. Separate the tails, knuckles and claws of the lobsters from the bodies. Remove the meat from the shell and set aside. Use the carapaces and pieces of shell to make the sauce.

2. Place a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, and add the butter, oil and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden. Add the onion, shallots, carrot, celery, bay leaves and thyme.

3. Cook, stirring, until the onion and shallots soften - about 7-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until brown. Add the brandy and flambé. Pour in the wine, and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the lobster carapaces and shells and cook for 8 minutes. Pour in the reserved liquid, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.

4. Once at a boil, turn the heat to medium low and simmer for 45 minutes. During this time, continually skim off all of the impurities and discard.

5. Gently strain the liquid through a fine sieve and return it to the pot. Season with cayenne. Reduce the liquid to half over high heat, about 20 minutes. Add the cream and cook for 7-10 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the butter, season and set aside.

6. The mashed potato can be made while the bisque sauce is cooking. Place the potatoes in a large pot with salted water to cover and bring to the boil. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until soft and drain well.

7. Gently warm the butter and cream in a small saucepan.

8. Mash the potatoes thoroughly and fold in the butter and cream along with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Set aside.

9. Chop the knuckle and claw meat into 1-2cm cubes. Split the tail meat in half, lengthwise.

10. Fold the cubed lobster, bacon and red pepper into the mashed potato.

11. Place the tail meat into a mixing bowl, melt half the butter in a small saucepan, and toss the tail meat with the butter and chopped herbs.

12. Warm the spinach or chard as necessary.

13. For individual servings divide the remaining butter between eight blini pans or small frying pans, and the mash similarly. Flatten each portion of mash into a pancake and cook over moderate heat until the bottom browns, then turn to brown the other side - about 5-7 minutes in total.

14. To serve, place one mash pancake on each warmed plate, top with sautéed greens and garnish with a portion of lobster tail. Spoon the bisque around the lobster mash.

Cooks Notes:
If you don't have eight small pans to hand, cook the mash in stages and keep warm on a buttered baking sheet in a low oven; alternatively cook as a single, large mash cake and present on a platter garnished with the lobster tails. Serve the sauce in a separate jug.

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Ingredients

4 cooked lobsters
60g Butter
10 slices of Bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
2 roasted red peppers, eeled, deseeded and finely chopped
3 tbsp Parsley, or tarragon, chopped
1 bunch of fresh spinach, or Swiss chard leaves, sautéed in butter

For the lobster bisque sauce:

30g Butter
2 tbsp Olive oil
6 garlic clove, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 Shallots, chopped
1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 Bay leaves
3 sprigs of Thyme
8 tbsp tomato paste
125ml Brandy
250ml dry white wine
1.25 litres reserved liquid from boiling the lobsters or fish/chicken stock
1/2 tsp cayenne
175ml double cream
15g unsalted Butter
Salt, and ground white pepper

For the mashed potatoes:

900g Potatoes, eeled and cut into quarters
50g Butter
175ml double cream
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt, and ground white pepper

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