- 2 rock lobsters 600gms each
- 1 bottle of champagne
- 15 Gms ossetra caviar
- 8 balls each of watermelon, cantaloup melon, honeydew melon (use a medium size cuiller parisienne)
- 12 cherry tomatoes (blanched and peeled, keep them to marinate in garlic oil and basil)
- 50 Gms shallots (½thinly sliced and ½ minced)
- ½ teaspoon pommery mustard
- 100ml fresh orange juice
- Zest of 1 orange
- 8 supremes of orange
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ½ teaspoon black pepper corn
- 1 star anise
- 1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar
- Pinch of Malden salt
- Pinch of freshly cracked black pepper
- Pinch of table salt
- 6 tablespoon of Extra virgin olive oil (preferebally Ligurian)
- 1 fennel bulbs (thinly shaved)
- Some sprigs of dill
Take a large stockpot enough to hold 10-12 lts of water, place over high heat and bring to boil. Immerse the lobsters and cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove and place the lobsters to cool in an ice bath. Separate the tails from the head and cut them in half. Remove the meat from the shells and keep covered.
In a saute pan add the champagne, shallots, star anise, orange zest, lemon juice, table salt. Bring to boil and reduce heat. Put it on slow simmer and place the lobster tails for 6-7 minutes. Remove and chill untill ready to plate. Reduce the poaching liquid to 50ml circa. Strain in a mixing bowl.
In another saute pan, heat 2 teaspoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. When hot, add the minced shallots and saute untill translucent. Deglaze with orange juice, let evaporate almost completely and mix it with the reduced poaching liquid. Add honey, mustard, sherry vinegar, fresh cracked pepper, with the help of a whisk combine the ingrediants, slow drizzling remaining olive oil. Add chopped dill and ossetra caviar and combine gently.
In a big bowl place all the melons, cherry tomatoes, fennel, lobster (chopped in bite size pieces) and orange supreme. Drizzle with proscecco and caviar dressing, Malden salt and toss gently. Plate and serve immediately
Recipe by Chef Mickey Bhoite. Le Cirque at The Leela Palace, New Delhi. India
