Salad of lobster, peas, shaved fennel and dill

Serves 4

Skye Gyngell
Sunday 07 May 2006 00:00 BST
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2 lobsters (allow half per person)
100g/31/2oz fresh peas
1 bulb of fennel
2 handfuls of mixed lettuce (l prefer rocket, ruby chard or bull's blood)
2tbsp of dill fronds
3/4tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
A few drops of lemon juice
For the dressing
1 egg yolk
1tsp of Dijon mustard
The juice of half a lemon
Sea-salt and black pepper
50ml/2fl oz of extra-virgin olive oil
1tbsp of crème fraîche

Cook and prepare the lobsters as before. Pod the peas and blanch for 11/2 minutes in boiling, salted water. Drain and refresh in cold water and pat dry gently. Remove the fibrous outer layer from the fennel and slice in half lengthwise, then slice as finely as possible. If not using immediately, then keep it in acidulated water. Wash and pat dry the salad leaves.

For the dressing, place the egg yolk in a bowl and add the mustard, lemon juice and a little sea-salt and black pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking as you do, until all the oil is incorporated - you should have an emulsified sauce. Fold in the crème fraîche, then check for seasoning and add a little salt and pepper if necessary.

To assemble the salad, slice the body of the lobster in half lengthwise. Place the salad leaves in a bowl with the shaved fennel, dill and peas. Squeeze over a couple of drops of lemon juice and 3/4tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the lobster and toss gently.

Divide the lobster salad on to 4 plates, spoon over the dressing and serve immediately.

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