Barbecued rock lobster with mango salad
SERVES 8 PREP AND COOK TIME 55 MINUTES
2 ripe mangoes, cut into 1.5cm dice juice of 1 lime
4 x 800g raw rock lobsters sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 handfuls young watercress sprigs HERB BUTTER 200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 clove garlic, finely chopped juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped chives
1-2 teaspoons hot chilli sauce, optional sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 HERB BUTTER Mix the butter, garlic, lime juice, parsley, chives, chilli sauce, if using, and salt and pepper to taste to form a smooth greenish paste; this can be done in a small food processor or you can use a small bowl with a fork. Set aside.
2 Sprinkle the mango with the lime juice. Set aside. Ensure the barbecue grill plate is very hot. Place the lobsters on the grill plate, turning them every 5 minutes until all sides are uniformly bright red; a whole rock lobster of this size will take about 20 minutes.
3 Transfer the lobsters to a baking tray and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Cut them in half lengthwise, then extract and discard the intestinal thread and the head sac. Press a spoonful of the ‘mustard’ from inside each head through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl and incorporate into the herb butter.
4 As the meat of the rock lobster clings tenaciously to the shell, for easy eating, using a very sharp knife, cut around the tail meat to extract it from the tail shell. Spoon a little herb butter into the shell. Cut across the tail meat to make thick chunks or slices. Return the chunks or slices to the shell and brush and spoon the herb butter generously all over the cooked flesh, allowing time for it to melt and ooze around and between each piece.
5 Arrange the lobster halves on a long platter, then fill the heads with some of the mango and watercress sprigs, with any extra mango offered in another bowl. Season to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining watercress sprigs, then serve.