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.
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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.