Ingredients

• 3 tbsp sea salt
• 1 sprig thyme
• 6 white peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lemon
• 4 x 450g/1lb live lobsters
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• 450g/1lb new potatoes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 little gem lettuce
• washed and halved
• 1 large bunch watercress
• washed
• 225g/8oz butter
• 1 shallot
• finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 12 cooked whelks
• chopped into small dice
• 6 tbsp parsley
• chopped

Directions

• Put the lobsters in the freezer for two hours to put it into a torpid state. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the salt
• thyme
• white peppercorns and bay leaf. Cut the lemon in half
• squeeze the juice into the pan then add the halves of lemon too.
• Push the tip of a large
• sharp
• heavy knife or skewer into the lobsters at the point where a cross forms in the shell on its back
• then lower into the boiling water and bring back to the boil. Boil for five minutes
• then remove the pan from the heat. Leave the lobsters in the water for another five minutes
• then remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
• Gently cook the potatoes in boiling water for 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain and season with salt and pepper.
• Cut the lobsters in half lengthways. Take out the tail meat
• cut in half lengthways again and remove the intestinal tract. Take off the claws
• removing the meat
• leaving the carcass whole and clean.
• In a frying pan
• melt the butter and gently warm through the lobster meat.
• For the garlic butter
• melt the butter in a pan over a low heat. Gently fry the shallot and garlic without browning them
• then add the whelk meat. When warmed through
• add the parsley.
• To finish the salad
• mix the mustard and vinegar together in a bowl
• then whisk in the oils and season.
• Dress half of the little gems in the serving bowl. Shred the remaining lettuces
• mix with the watercress and add to the serving bowl (do not dress until serving).
• When you are ready to serve
• put the meat from the claws in the head space of the shells and the tail meat back in the shells.
• Put the lobsters onto plates. Put the potatoes in the middle of the plates
• pour the garlic butter over the lobsters and serve with the dressed salad.