Last of the Lobsters
The end of the summer for me means the drawing in of the evenings, a nip in the air and the final hauling of the lobster pots here on the East coast. Having normally started fishing around the end of March, we make the most of the season on lobsters through until September , after which the pots come ashore for maintenance and to evade the winter storms. Much of our gear here is fished close inshore and would be smashed up on the beach after too much hard weather.
So with the last of the lobsters I always like to finish as I started - a simply boiled fish that can be enjoyed and celebrated as a fitting end to a summer’s fishing. Dressed and served with a simple homemade mayo and either some hand cut chips or sautéed second crop new potatoes. It’s a flavour that has been with us over the summer and is now time to be replaced with the next locally seasonal seafood offering.
Poached Native Lobster with Lemon Mayonnaise
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 x 500-750 g live native lobster
2 free range egg yolks
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon
Pinch sea salt
Table or sea salt for the poaching liquor.
Splash white wine vinegar.
Method
Boil 3 -4 litres salted water (or preferably clean seawater) in a large saucepan. Add a dash of white wine or cider vinegar and when you have a rolling boil prepare your live lobster.
Ideally you should keep the lobster at 0-2C for an hour before dispatching (I call it a pre-med), so that stress levels are kept to a minimum. The RSPCA home method is to dispatch by cutting down through the brain and central nervous system which kills the fish instantly. Splitting it lengthways is also effective,, but obviously not for poaching, only for baking or grilling/barbequeing.
Having dispatched the lobster, pop it into the saucepan and boil/poach for approximately 8-10 mins for that size of fish. I tend not to boil too fiercely and it is very easy to over cook, and toughen the flesh. After the requisite time remove the, now beautifully red, lobster and set aside to cool at room temperature, to let the meat ‘set’. When cool enough to handle it can be served or refrigerated.
Dressing
