Recipe: Lobster with Garlic Butter and Samphire

The garlic and herb butter in this dish gives the lobster a rich and luxurious finish, offset by the briny sea flavour of the samphire. You can prepare your own lobster or buy ready-cooked for a Tom Kitchin classic with minimal effort.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 whole lobster

handful salt

for the herb butter

1 tbsp cold pressed rapeseed oil

25g Parma ham, finely chopped

50g shallots, finely chopped

50g fennel, finely chopped

50g button mushroom, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ tbsp finely chopped

parsley

½ tbsp finely chopped

tarragon

250g soft butter

2 tsp Pommery mustard

2 tsp dried breadcrumbs

1 tbsp ground almonds

For the samphire:

50g butter

400g samphire

METHOD:

1. If you’re preparing the lobster, bring a large pan of water to the boil and add a handful of salt so the water tastes salty. Place the lobster into the boiling water for 1 minute. This kills it instantly and humanely.

2. Remove the lobster from the pot and leave to cool for 2–3 minutes before proceeding. Cut the lobster in half, starting at the head and working towards the tail. Remove the claws and submerge them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Leave to cool and then remove all the meat from the claws.

3. Remove all the meat from the halved body as well as the coral and cut into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

4. To make the herb butter, heat a large non-stick frying pan over a mediumhigh heat, then add a little rapeseed oil. Add the chopped Parma ham to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now add the shallot, fennel, mushrooms and garlic with the rest of the rapeseed oil and sweat for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped herbs, stir well, then remove from the heat and let cool.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the butter until creamy, then add the cooled vegetables and ham and stir to combine. Add the mustard, breadcrumbs, ground almonds and the lobster coral and mix well. Spoon the butter on to a sheet of cling film and roll it in the cling film to form a log. Twist the ends to secure, then refrigerate to firm up for at least 1 hour.

6. Preheat the grill to high. Unwrap the savoury butter, cut into generous slices and add to the lobster meat and claws. Spoon the mixture back into the lobster body and grill for 5–8 minutes, until hot and bubbling.

7. Meanwhile, for the samphire, heat the butter in a medium frying pan. Once melted, add the samphire and cook for a couple of minutes.

8. Serve the lobster with the sprigs of samphire on the side.

Recipe taken from Saturday Kitchen Suppers, published by Orion