LOBSTER MAYONNAISE

Boil a large pan of salted water. Place the live lobster into the boiling water; leave to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. If you are in doubt as to whether or not it is cooked push a carving fork or skewer in to the middle of the shellfish; if the skewer or fork is hot to your lips the Lobster is cooked.

Drain the cooked Lobster and rinse with cold water to clean the shell and allow to cool. Place the cooked Lobster on a chopping board with the head facing you. With a sharp robust knife cut down into the shell in the middle of the head (there is a recess half way down). Cut down towards the head of the lobster separating the two sides.

Repeat the process this time cutting towards the tail of the lobster, ending up with two halves.

Remove the pouch which is located close to the head; this is the only inedible part of a lobster.

Break the claws from the body and remove the meat using a rolling pin or other object to crack the shell.

Place the claw meat in the cavity of the head of your lobster.

Sauce Mayonnaise

First of all, put an egg yolk into a basin (this will make enough sauce for at least two), add a pinch of mustard powder, salt and black pepper and some lemon juice, half a fruit will do to start with. Mix all of these together well. Then holding the olive oil in one hand and a hand whisk in the other, add 1 drop of oil to the egg mixture and whisk this in. The key to a successful mayonnaise is making sure each drop of oil is thoroughly whisked in before adding the next drop.

When the critical point has passed and the liaison has formed, you can then begin pouring the oil in a steady stream. Do not use too much Olive oil or your sauce will taste too strong; I suggest about a quarter, then finish off with the sunflower oil. When the sauce becomes too thick, adjust the flavour with a little more lemon juice if needed. A couple of spoons of boiling water will set and thin the sauce. Add sparingly as a little water thins a lot of mayonnaise. If the sauce is too sharp then add a little more oil, if the reverse is the case then add more lemon juice.

Mayonnaise only curdles when you have cold eggs or, when adding the oil too quickly at the beginning. If that happens, all you need to do is put a fresh egg yolk into a clean bowl, slowly add the curdled mixture to it, then continue adding the rest of the oil as though nothing had happened.