“It is rare for me to use lobster because of the price. I enjoy making lobster ravioli and mousse, but a warm salad is a delicious way of getting the meaty flesh to work with something tasty. Chorizo marries well with lobster and adding heritage potatoes to the dish it makes it go a bit further. This can be served as a starter or a main course but keep it simple.”

Serves 4
Prep time: 45 minutes; cooking time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 Scottish lobster

4 to 5 new season, heritage potatoes like a Sharpe’s Express or a Jersey Royal

Half a Peelham farm organic chorizo, peeled and diced into 1-cm cubes

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

A handful of watercress

2 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil 

A knob of butter

Good salt and pepper

Juice from half a lemon

METHOD 

To kill the lobster, pierce its head with the tip of your knife, then place it in simmering, salted water for 12 minutes to cook. Remove from the water and allow to cool in cold water.

Cook the potatoes in their skins until just soft, allow to cool, then slice.
Once cooled, carefully remove the meat from the tail of the lobster by laying it on its side, pushing downwards and holding the tail upright to peel away the 2 sides of the tail to remove the meat. It may have a tinge of green on it, that’s absolutely fine, it will turn red during the next stage of cooking.

Next, crack the claws open and remove them carefully. Keep the shells in the freezer to make a bisque another day.

Slice the lobster meat into small pieces.

Add the rapeseed oil to a good pan and bring to a moderate heat before adding the sliced potatoes. Don’t cook them too harshly. Season with salt and pepper and turn the heat down. Cook for 2 minutes on each side then add the lobster meat, chorizo, butter, lemon juice and parsley. Stir and checking the seasoning one last time.

Spoon the ingredients onto 4 warmed plates and decorate with a few sprigs of watercress for that peppery hit.