Lobster Mei-Ling

This lobster dish was named after Analiese Gregory’s sister Mei-Ling and featured in a cookbook by her father, Mark Gregory. A lobster cannelloni paired with a creamy white sauce infused with white asparagus makes for a showstopping dish.

Lobster Mei-Ling Credit: A Girl's Guide To Hunting Fishing and Wild Cooking

• serves

  2

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 Southern rock lobster, live or raw, up to 1 kg
• 250 g spaghetti
• Olive oil, to drizzle
• ½ egg white
• 150 g scallop meat
• 110 g thin cream, divided
• 20 g butter
• ⅓ fennel bulb, finely chopped
• 1 celery stick, finely chopped
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 50 ml dry vermouth
• 100 ml white asparagus juice (see Note)
• Fried breadcrumbs, sage flowers, rosemary flowers, tarragon, lobster oil (see Note) to serve

Allow an extra 60 minutes of cooking and steeping time if making the lobster oil for serving with this dish.

Instructions

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Prepare a large bowl of iced water. Dispatch the lobster by cutting through the head with a sharp knife. Blanch for 1 minute in the simmering water, then drain and plunge the lobster into the iced water.
   
2. Once cool enough to handle, remove the lobster from the water and twist out the tail. Use kitchen scissors to cut down either side of the tail to help remove the shell. Remove the digestive tract from the tail. Cut the lobster in half lengthways, then refrigerate until required.
   
3. Bring a second large saucepan of water to the boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, then drain. Transfer the cooked pasta to a medium bowl and drizzle with a small drizzle of olive oil. Toss lightly, then set aside.
   
4. Combine the egg white, scallop meat and a generous pinch of salt in a small food processor and blitz to a smooth paste. Add 60 g cream and blitz again to combine, then refrigerate until required.
   
5. To assemble, lay 1-2 flat sheets of plastic wrap on a clean working surface. Lay out half the spaghetti in a single layer of noodles, until you have a full flat sheet of spaghetti. Use a small offset spatula to spread ½ the scallop paste over the pasta, then place half a lobster tail over the pasta sheet. Trim the edges of the pasta with a sharp knife, then gently and firmly roll the lobster tail to form a cannelloni, expelling all air. Tie the ends of the clingfilm to make the cannelloni watertight. Repeat with remaining ingredients to form 2 cannelloni. Refrigerate until required.
   
6. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the fennel, celery and onion and cook, stirring, until softened. Stir through the vermouth and cook until reduced by half. Stir through the asparagus juice (if using) and remaining cream. Cook until reduced, then transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth.
   
7. Bring a stovetop steamer to a simmer, then steam the cannelloni for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for a few minutes, then remove the plastic wrap.
   
8. To serve, gently reheat the sauce in a small saucepan. Slice the cannelloni. Spoon the sauce onto a plate and top with the cannelloni. Garnish with fried breadcrumbs, edible flowers, tarragon and lobster oil (see Note) and serve.

Note

To make the lobster oil: Combine reserved lobster shells, crushed; 1 cup neutral oil; and 1 tbsp tomato paste in a large saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, discard the solids and use as needed.

To make white asparagus juice, you will need a centrifugal juicer. Juice enough white asparagus to retain 100 ml for this recipe, otherwise it can be omitted.

Watch how to make this recipe on Episode 2 of A Girl's Guide To Hunting Fishing and Wild Cooking Season 2 streaming free on SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.