You can’t go wrong with citrus when it comes to seafood dishes like this superb lobster recipe from Mark Best. Semillon, Riesling or Verdelho make great matches for the delicate contrasts in play here, though a Vermentino would also work well.
INGREDIENTS
2 whole Eastern rock lobsters (about 500-600g each)
Sea salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salted duck egg sauce
2 salted duck eggs, steamed and yolks grated
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, halved
100ml thickened cream
2 tbsp lobster tomalley (optional, from the lobster heads)
50ml chicken stock
Pinch xanthan gum (optional, for smooth texture)
Lobster head batter
1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1 tbsp tapioca flour
100ml chilled sparkling water
Pinch of salt
Chilli oil
1/2 cup neutral oil (canola or grapeseed)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 slices fresh ginger
1 star anise
1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
2 tbsp Korean chilli flakes
To finish
12 fresh curry leaves
Neutral oil for frying
METHOD
1. Prepare lobsters: place live lobsters in the freezer for 30 minutes to put them to sleep. Remove the heads and reserve the tomalley for the sauce. Steam the tails, shell on, at 100°C for 8-10 minutes until just cooked through. Remove tail meat carefully and pat dry.
2. Make salted duck egg sauce: melt butter in a small saucepan with garlic. Remove garlic once fragrant. Add grated duck egg yolks and cook gently until foamy. Stir in cream and tomalley, then add chicken stock. Blend until smooth and glossy. Strain, keep warm.
3. Heat oil with garlic, ginger, star anise and peppercorns over medium-low heat until fragrant and garlic turns pale gold. Pour hot oil over chilli flakes in a heatproof bowl. Let cool, strain if desired.
4. Dust cleaned lobster heads lightly with tapioca flour. Dip into batter and fry in hot oil at 170°C until crisp and golden. Drain well.
5. In a hot pan, sear cooked lobster tails quickly in butter until lightly golden on surface. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
6. To finish: fry curry leaves briefly in hot oil until crisp. Place seared lobster on each plate and spoon over the salted duck egg sauce. Add a drizzle of chilli oil and scatter with fried curry leaves.