Lobster bisque

SERVES 6 AS A STARTER OR 4 AS A MAIN COURSE 1kg live lobsters (around 2 medium sized)

2tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

2 medium shallots, peeled and thinly diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

120ml cognac

180ml dry white wine

2tbsp tomato purée

150g canned chopped tomatoes bouquet garni (see recipe, right) 1tbsp clear honey

1tsp saffron

45g unsalted butter, at room temperature

3tbsp plain flour

¼tsp cayenne pepper

250ml double cream pinch piment d’Espelette or mild chilli powder, to serve fresh chives, finely chopped, to serve Put the lobsters in the freezer for 20 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut each lobster in half lengthways, reserving all the liquid, coral and creamy parts. Remove the claws and tail from the lobsters, set aside, then chop all the remaining parts, including the shells, into several pieces.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the lobster claws, tails and shells, carrot, shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shells turn bright red, about 10 minutes. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

Pour in the cognac. Then carefully ignite the cooking liquid with a match and flambé the lobster shells, shaking the pan briskly until the flames die out.

Pour in the white wine and simmer to reduce for 2 to 3 minutes then add water to cover and bring to a gentle simmer.

Add the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, bouquet garni, honey and saffron. Stir then simmer over a medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, until the soup is strongly flavoured.

Strain through a sieve into a large bowl. Remove the claws and tails and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the shells and chop roughly, reserving 2 tablespoons for the garnish, and place the rest back in the strained soup.

Pour the soup back into the saucepan, cover and simmer over a medium heat for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the coral butter, mix the butter and flour in a bowl to make a paste. Whisk in the reserved lobster liquid, coral, any creamy parts and season with sea salt and cayenne pepper.

Reduce the heat under the soup to as low as it will go. Ladle some of the bisque into the butter mixture and whisk until thickened then gradually pour the mixture into the pan, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat.

Pour in the cream and purée the soup with a hand blender. Adjust the seasoning. Reheat over a low heat making sure it does not boil.

Ladle the bisque into bowls, scatter over the reserved lobster meat and sprinkle with the piment d’Espelette and chives.

Bouquet garni

3 sprigs parsley 1 sprig sage 1 sprig rosemary 1 sprig thyme 1 bay leaf

kitchen string

Tie the herbs together with the string and add to the dish when directed. Discard before serving.