Lobster with Escargot Butter

Ingredients

Contains: milk, wheat, tree nuts, shellfish (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 500g/1lb 2oz soft butter
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 50g/2oz Parma ham
• 100g/3½oz button mushrooms
• 3 garlic
• 100g/3½oz shallots
• 100g/3½oz fennel
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tbsp Pommery mustard
• 1 tbsp dried breadcrumbs
• 1 cooked lobster
• 2 tbsp ground almonds
• 2 whole cooked lobster
• 50g/2oz butter
• 200g/7oz samphire

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Split the two whole cooked lobsters in half lengthways, remove the gut, and keep the shells. Pick the meat from the single cooked lobster and chop it finely.

2. Finely dice the shallots, fennel and button mushrooms. Peel and crush the garlic. Chop the Parma ham into small pieces.

3. Heat the rapeseed oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the Parma ham until crisp, about 3 minutes. Lift it out and set aside.

4. Add 50g (2oz) butter to the pan with the shallots, fennel, mushrooms and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes until soft, then leave to cool.

5. In a bowl, beat the 500g (1lb 2oz) soft butter with the cooled vegetables, parsley, tarragon, Pommery mustard, breadcrumbs, ground almonds and chopped lobster meat. Chill for 30 minutes until firm.

6. Bring a pan of boiling water to the boil, add the samphire and blanch for 1 minute. Drain well.

7. Spread the lobster butter over the cut surfaces of the four lobster halves and place them on a baking tray. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the lobster is hot all the way through.

8. Scatter the crisp Parma ham over the lobster and serve with the samphire, tossed with a splash of water and warmed through in the pan.