"This is the perfect summer starter; simple yet elegant and extremely tasty" - Lee Bennett

 

Ingredients

1 x 600g lobster
150g white crab
1 lemon
1 lime 
½ bunch chervil
30g mayonnaise
10g black peppercorns
200ml white wine vinegar

 

Method

  • Take a medium sized pan and bring to the boil 1 litre of water. Add the vinegar and the peppercorns. Add the lobster and cook for 8 minutes. When cooked place immediately into ice cold water and leave for 10 minutes to cool. Then crack open the claws and the shell and remove all the flesh and coarsely chop.

  • Pick well through the crab then place into a mixing bowl. Take the lemon and lime and zest the skin with a grater, then cut open and squeeze the juice from both into the bowl. 

  • Fold in the mayonnaise then add salt and cracked pepper until seasoned correctly. Chop the chervil and add to the mix.

  • Take 4 small ramekins or small coffee cups about 4cm in diameter. Line with cling film leaving some cling film hanging over the edge of the cup. Then divide the lobster and add to the base of each ramekin. Add the crab mix and press down until compact. Cling film each one individually and leave in the fridge for 12 hours or overnight.

  • When the tian is ready, simply turn the cup upside down and give a slight tug to the cling film; the tian should fall out. Remove the cling film and serve on a cold plate with some mixed leaf salad.

 

Chef recommendations 

Tip: Make sure you pick the crab thoroughly as the tiniest piece of shell can spoil the dish.

Wine match... Sequillo White 2007 from Swartland, South Africa.