Lobster Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients

20 ml (4 tsp) heavy whipping cream
250 ml (1 cup) chopped cooked lobster tail meat (see below)
90 ml (6 tbsp) saffron mayonnaise (see below)
10 ml (2 tsp) minced shallots
5 ml (1 tsp) fresh chopped tarragon leaves
5 ml (1 tsp) finely chopped chives
5 ml (1 tsp) lemon juice
To taste: sea salt (fine)
500 ml (2 cups) vegetable oil (for deep-frying)
1 lotus root, medium size, fried (for garnish)
10 ml (2 tsp) flying fish roe (for garnish; available at most Asian markets)
4 pieces cooked lobster claw meat (for garnish; see below)
4 slices fried chorizo sausage (for garnish; available at most Mediterranean markets)
60 g (2 oz) pea shoots (remove most of stem; wash and pat dry)

Method

With whisk, whip cream in stainless steel bowl until soft peaks form. In another bowl, combine chopped cooked lobster tail meat, 30 ml (2 tbsp) saffron mayonnaise, whipped cream, shallots, tarragon, chives, lemon juice and salt. Mix well.

Take 4 large 15-ml (1-tbsp) scoops of lobster salad and shape each into an oval by transferring from one spoon to another. Chill ovals in refrigerator on parchment paper until ready to serve.

To prepare lotus root, preheat pot of vegetable oil to 200 C (400 F). Peel lotus root and cut 12 thin slices. Deep-fry for 2 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Remove and dry on paper towel. Lightly salt before serving.

Preheat sauté pan with a very small amount of vegetable oil. Slice chorizo sausage 3-mm (1/8-in) thick on the bias. Sauté 4 pieces until crisp. Set aside on paper towel until ready to serve.

To serve, spoon layer of saffron mayonnaise into the centre of each of 4 plates. Garnish with flying fish roe and cooked claw meat. Top with 3 lotus root slices and ovals of lobster salad. Garnish with thin slice of fried chorizo and pea shoots.

Lobster Meat

Method

Use 1 live lobster, 670-900 g (1.5-2 lbs). In large pot, bring 6.8-9 L (1.5-2 gallons) of water and 30 ml (2 tbsp) of sea salt to a boil. Rinse lobster and plunge into boiling water. Cover pot and decrease heat to a gentle simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until shell turns red.

Remove lobster from pot and refresh in ice water. Break off claws and remove tail. Without damaging meat, crack claws with back of knife and gently pull meat out whole for use as garnish. Using kitchen shears, cut through underside of tail. Pull meat from shell in one piece.

Chop tail meat into 6-15 mm (¼-½ in) pieces and set aside in refrigerator. A lobster this size will yield approximately 250 ml (1 cup) of chopped tail meat, which is enough for the salad.

Saffron Mayonnaise

Makes 375 ml (1½ cups)

Ingredients

1 egg yolk
2 ml (½ tsp) dijon mustard
250 ml (1 cup) vegetable oil
15 ml (1 tbsp) white vinegar
5 ml (1 tsp) sea salt (fine)
To taste: ground white pepper
1 ml (¼ tsp) saffron

Method

Stir 1 ml (¼ tsp) saffron into vinegar. Let steep for 2 to 3 hours. In mixing bowl, whisk egg yolk and Dijon mustard until well combined. Still whisking, slowly add a trickle of oil. Continue slowly pouring and whisking until oil has been incorporated.

Whisk in saffron vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Store the mayonnaise in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.