Ingredients

• 2 x 750g/1½lb cooked lobsters
• 16 langoustines
• cooked and peeled
• 150ml/10fl oz fish stock
• 110ml/4fl oz double cream
• 90ml/3½fl oz champagne
• 40g/1½oz avruga caviar
• 50g/2oz butter
• 110g/4oz black trompette mushrooms
• cleaned and torn into strips
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g/7oz baby leaf spinach
• 4 tbsp Japanese breadcrumbs (available from Asian grocers)
• 20g/1oz Gruyère cheese
• grated
• vegetable oil
• for deep-frying
• 2 large baking potatoes
• peeled and sliced into ½cm strips
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g/7oz French beans
• trimmed
• 75g/3oz butter

Directions

• Preheat the grill to high.
• For the lobster
• slice the lobster in half and remove the meat from the claws and tail. Set aside with the langoustines. Remove any head matter and discard
• reserving the shells.
• Place the fish stock into a pan and bring to the boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes
• or until the liquid is reduced by half
• then add the cream and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes
• or until reduced again by half.
• Add the champagne and cook for 2-3 minutes
• stirring well
• then stir in the caviar
• lobster and langoustines to heat through.
• Meanwhile
• melt half of the butter in a frying pan and add the mushrooms. Fry for 2-3 minutes
• or until just softened. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat the remaining butter in a clean frying pan
• then add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes
• or until wilted.
• Spoon a little spinach into the bottom of each lobster shell
• followed by the mushrooms
• finishing with the lobster and langoustine mixture. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and grated Gruyère. Place on a grill tray set under the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes
• or until the topping is golden-brown and bubbling.
• For the vegetables
• heat a deep-fat fryer to 190C/375F. Alternatively
• half-fill a deep
• thick-based pan with the vegetable oil and heat until a cube of bread dropped in sizzles and turns golden-brown in 30 seconds (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended).
• Fry the potato strips in the oil for 4-5 minutes
• or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper
• then season with salt.
• Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil
• add the beans and cook for 3-4 minutes
• or until tender. Drain
• return to the pan and mix with the butter and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• place the lobster halves on two serving plates
• and place the fries and green beans alongside.