Ingredients
2 lobsters, live (approximately 600g/1lb 5oz each)
For the fricassée sauce
30ml/1fl oz olive oil
bodies of two lobsters (see below)
50g/2oz mirepoix (equal quantities of shallots, celery, fennel and carrots, finely chopped)
50g/2oz unsalted butter
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbsp tomato pur&eactute;e
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 fresh thyme sprig
100ml/3fl oz cognac
50ml/1½fl oz pastis
200ml/7fl oz champagne
600ml/1 pint fish stock
100ml/3fl oz double cream
For the court bouillon
2 onions, chopped
2 shallot, chopped
½ stick of celery, chopped
½ carrot, chopped
1 leek, chopped
900ml/1½ pint cold water
½ head fennel, chopped
½ head garlic, peeled and chopped
1 star anise, chopped
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 bay leaf
125ml/4fl oz white wine
tails and claws of two lobsters (see below)
To serve
100g/3½oz carrot, chopped, blanched
100g/3½oz broccoli, chopped into small florets, blanched
100g/3½oz cauliflower, chopped into small florets, blanched

Method
1. Live lobsters can be humanely killed by putting them in a plastic bag in the freezer for about two hours. Kill the lobsters by pushing a skewer or the point of a sharp knife into each of the heads of the lobsters (at the point where a natural cross is formed at the top of the shell). After this remove the tail and claws from the body and split the bodies in half lengthwise. The bodies will be used for the sauce but keep the tails and claws to one side for the bouillon.
2. For the fricass&ecute;e sauce, heat the oil in a large pan. Fry the lobster bodies for about five minutes and add the mirepoix. Cook for a few minutes to soften. Add the butter and sauté until the vegetables are golden-brown.
3. Stir in the tomato, tomato purée, garlic, thyme, cognac and pastis. Cook over a high heat until the mixture has reduced. Pour in the champagne and allow to simmer until the mixture has reduced by half.
4. Add the fish stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until it has reduced by half. Stir in the double cream before straining the sauce through a fine strainer or muslin cloth into a bowl, set aside.
5. For the court bouillon, place the onion, shallot, celery, carrot and leek into a large saucepan with the water and bring to the boil.
6. Add the fennel, garlic, star anise, lemon zest, thyme, bay leaf and wine and simmer for 35 minutes. Pass through a sieve and discard the herbs.
7. Return the court bouillon to a clean pan and bring to the boil. Add the lobster tails and claws and poach gently for five minutes. Pass through a sieve and allow to cool for a few minutes before carefully removing the flesh from the tail and claws. Keep to one side.
8. Before serving, warm through the fricassée lobster sauce. Arrange pieces of lobster in the centre of four serving plates. Spoon some of the sauce over and around the lobster. Arrange the vegetables around the outside of the plate.