Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
over 2 hours
Serves
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 cooked lobster, meat removed in a whole piece, shell reserved for the stock
For the stock
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic bulb
- 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, cored and roughly chopped
- 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 250ml/9fl oz vermouth
- ½ bunch tarragon
For the lobster jelly
- ½ fennel bulb, cored and roughly chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 sticks of celery, roughly chopped
- 3 free-range egg whites
- 4 gelatine leaves, softened in cold water
- 1 tbsp fresh chervil leaves to serve
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves
Method
To make the stock, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the vegetables and reserved lobster shells and cook for 5–7 minutes or until soft.
Add the chopped tomatoes and vermouth and allow to bubble until the volume has reduced by a third. Add the tarragon, cover and simmer for 2 hours.
Pass the stock through a sieve, into a clean bowl placed underneath and place in the fridge to chill. Discard the vegetables.
To make the jelly, blend the vegetables in a food processor, add the egg whites and blend again.
Pour the stock into a large clean saucepan and add the vegetables. Whisk over a medium heat until it starts to set. Cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour.
Pass through a sieve into a clean bowl underneath and add the softened gelatine.
Pour some of the jelly into a deep baking tray and allow to set.
To serve, turn out the jelly and roughly chop. Place on a serving dish and top with the lobster. Scatter over the herbs and serve.