21st century seafood cocktail

Preparation method

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Kill the lobster by plunging the tip of a sharp knife straight down behind the eyes. Blanch the lobster in the boiling water for two minutes then remove from the pan and leave to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the tail and the claws.

2. Place the lobster meat, butter, dill and lemon juice into a sous vide bag. Season with salt and pepper then vacuum seal and place in a water bath set at 62C/145F for 22 minutes. Remove from the water bath and leave to cool in the bag until serving.

3. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the langoustines and cook for three minutes. Remove from the water and leave to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the tails and set aside. Reserve four langoustine heads with claws attached for the garnish.

4. Place the lobster and langoustine shells in a large pan with the carrot, leek, onion and bay leaf. Crush the shells with the back of a ladle then cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the stock into a jug then whisk in the egg whites. Pour the liquid into a sous vide bag and vacuum seal. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the bag of stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Cut the bag open and strain the liquid through a sieve lined with muslin cloth, leaving a clear consommé.

5. For the marie rose sauce, whisk the egg yolks, salt, pepper and mustard until smooth then start adding the oil drop by drop, whisking all the time. When you have added half the oil, whisk in the vinegar and lemon juice then add the rest of the oil in a steady stream until you have a thick mayonnaise.

6. Combine the mayonnaise with the rest of the marie rose sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth. Adjust to taste with cayenne pepper. Just before serving, pour the sauce into a cream whipping machine (cream siphon).

7. For the consommé ‘eggs’, combine 200ml/7fl oz of the consommé with the sodium alginate in a food processor and blend until smooth. Combine the calcium chloride with 1.5 litres/2 pints 12fl oz of cold water in a large bowl and whisk until fully dissolved. Set a large bowl of cold water alongside.

8. Fill a teaspoon with the alginate consommé mixture and add a shrimp to spoon. Carefully lower the spoon into the calcium chloride solution, hold for a few seconds then let the mixture slide off the spoon. Leave in the solution for 40 seconds to form a sphere, and then transfer to the bowl of cold water to rinse. Repeat to make 12 spheres.

9. For the avocado mousse, wash the lettuce, wrap in a muslin cloth and squeeze out all of the liquid into a small bowl. Place the avocado flesh and lemon juice in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add two tablespoons of the lettuce juice, blend, then fill a piping bag with the mixture. Do not add too much of the lettuce juice or the mousse will be too thin.

10. To serve, pipe a little avocado mousse into the bottom of a martini glass. Slice the lobster tail into 12 pieces. Arrange three slices of lobster tail and three langoustines in a circle on top of the mousse. Charge the cream siphon with a nitrous oxide cartridge and top the lobster and langoustines with foamed marie rose sauce. Top with three consommé ‘eggs’ and half a lobster claw. Garnish with a slice of lemon, sprig of dill and finish with a langoustine head with the claws hanging over the side of the glass.

30 mins to 1 hour preparation time

1 to 2 hours cooking time

Serves 4