Poached Lobster Tail with Cauliflower and Butter Sauce, by William Drabble

Serves

4

Prep Time

1 hr 50 mins

Cooking Time

60 mins

Ingredients

For the lobster 

• 4 lobsters, each weighing 400g 
• 1 large onion 
• 4 carrots 
• 3 celery sticks 
• 1 leek 
• 2 tbsp of tomato purée 
• 5 tbsp of brandy 
• 6 sprigs of thyme 
• 6 sprigs of fresh tarragon 
• 10g of butter 
• 2 tbsp of cream 
• 4 garlic cloves 
• olive oil 

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For the caramelized cauliflower

• 1 large cauliflower 
• 100g of butter 

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For the cauliflower purée

• 100ml double cream
• cauliflower trimmings from the large cauliflower

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Method

Preparing the lobsters

• Put the lobsters in a freezer. This will render them insensate. Boil some water and add a dash of white wine vinegar.
• Once the lobster is insensate, place it on its back with its claws tied and hold it firmly by the top of its head.
• Place the tip of a very sharp chef’s knife on the head just beneath its mouth, lining the blade up with the lobster’s midline with the blade side pointed toward its tail.
• The first cut should be directed forwards toward the head, and the second backwards down the midline towards the tail. 
• Pierce the lobster’s head downward, then place the knife tip just to the body side of the junction of its tail and thorax and cut through the midline.
• The procedure must not take more than 10 seconds. For diagrams and more detailed information, visit the RSPCA’s website. 
• Once the lobsters are dead, pull each head away from the tail and pull the claws off.
• Cook the tails in simmering water for 3 minutes and the claws for 5 minutes. Put both into iced water for 5 minutes. Drain.
• In the meantime put a big pan of water on to blanch the lobsters and have a big bowl of ice water ready to submerge the lobsters into.

To prepare the vegetables for the stock

• In another pan sweat the onions, carrots, garlic, celery and leek in olive oil until soft.
• Add the tomato purée and cook a little longer. Put to one side.

To cook the lobster tails

• Place the tails into the boiling water for about 20-30 seconds until the shell starts to turn red and the tail turns up.
• Remove the lobster tail from the boiling water and plunge straight into iced water.
• Put the claws in the water and re boil. Leave them to cool in the liquid.
• Remove the tail meat from the shell and place in the fridge.

To make the stock

• Crush the lobster bones. Put the pan with the sweated vegetables back on the stove and heat up.
• Add the lobster shells and cook until the protein has started to set.
• Add the brandy and reduce. Add just enough water to cover the bones and add the thyme.
• Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes. Add the tarragon and cook for 3 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand for a couple of minutes. Then pass through a fine sieve into a small pan, bring back to the boil and put to one side.

Preparing the butter sauce

• Take the claws out of the water and remove the meat from the shell. Put to one side in a fridge. This meat can be used for a salad or to make this dish into a main course sized portion.
• For each portion of sauce take 100ml of lobster stock and add 10g of butter.
• Reduce this very quickly until it starts to thicken, then whisk in 2 tablespoons of cream for each portion. Put to one side.
• Poach the lobster tails in the remaining stock, ensuring that you have enough stock to cover the tails.
• To poach the tails bring the stock up to the boil and drop in the lobster tails. Remove from the heat and leave to poach for 4 minutes.
• Remove, rest for a couple of minutes and then slice in half.

For the caramelized cauliflower

• Take the large cauliflower and section it up into florets. Cut the florets into 2-3mm thick slices. 
• Select all the well-shaped pieces for the caramelised cauliflower, reserving the less attractive pieces for the purée. 
• Blanch the slices of cauliflower in boiling water until half cooked. Refresh in iced water and drain.
• To serve, caramelise in butter. 

For the cauliflower purée

• Finely chop all the cauliflower trimmings and place into a pan. Add a little salt and enough water to just cover.
• Boil very quickly until nearly all of the water has gone and add a little double cream.
• Boil for a couple of minutes until it starts to thicken slightly. It will burn easily so you need to keep it moving around the pan.
• Purée in a liquidiser and pass through a fine sieve.

To serve

• Place the caramelized cauliflower in a round on the bottom of a plate.
• Place the purée in the centre with the poached lobster on top.
• Pour the butter sauce over this and serve immediately.