5 ways lobster has made ordinary dishes extraordinary

2. Lobster and Chips

Move over “fish’n chips” here comes the new kid on the block, coming by way of the Hidden Hut café on England’s Cornish coast. Looking more like a garden shed than a restaurant, this hidden icon of England sits on a grassy hill overlooking a quiet beach. Lobsters served at the restaurant are sourced from a nearby fishing town, and Chef Stallard selects the most gnarly looking ones covered in barnacles, saying they have the best flavor.  

They shared their recipe for lobster and chips with munchies using Maine lobster.

Lobster and Chips (Serves 2)

Ingredients

For the garlic aioli:

• 4 tablespoons good quality mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon crème fraiche
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon

For the rosemary salt:

• 6 1/2 tablespoons fine sea sea salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons picked rosemary

For the lobster and chips:

• 1 2-3 lb. live Maine lobster
• 1 lb. washed Maris piper potatoes, cut in skin on chips
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• vegetable oil, for frying

Method

1. First, make the aioli: whisk all the ingredients together and season to taste.
2. Next, make the rosemary salt. Blitz the salt and rosemary together in a food processor until fine and a light green color.
3. Place a large pan of salted water on to the boil. Meanwhile get your live lobster out from fridge and lie it flat, stomach-side down, on a chopping board. Spike it firmly and quickly with a large sharp knife in the base of its head to kill. Place the lobster into the boiling water and cook for 8 minutes. Refresh in cold water and set aside in fridge.
4. Preheat vegetable oil (to around 140° C/300° F) and blanch chips for 8-10 minutes until soft and cooked through. Set these aside on kitchen towel.
5. Now prep the lobster. Using a large knife split the lobster in half and using a spoon scoop out its guts and rinse the lobster under cold water. Gently crack its claws with the back of a knife. The lobster is now ready to be cooked. It can either be cooked on the bbq to impart a smokey flavour (shell-side down to protect the meat and infuse the flavour) but can also happily be cooked for 8 minutes in a 180° C/350° F oven dotted with some butter.
6. Whilst the lobster is cooking, refry chips in 190 degree oil for 2 minutes until light brown and crisp. Drain and season with the rosemary salt.
7. Serve the cooked lobster with the chips, a good spoonful of the aioli, some watercress and a big wedge of lemon.