Southern Rock lobster with cauliflower, shiitake and butternut pumpkin
Serves 4
(Prep time: 2 h 15 min Cooking time: 1 h 15 min Total time: 3 h 30 min Difficulty: medium)
Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cooked Southern Rock Lobster tails, halved lengthways, shells reserved
2 spring onions, white parts only, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ small butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed
300 ml fish stock
1 tsp light soy sauce
½ cauliflower, centre stalk removed, florets thinly sliced
2 tsp sesame oil
micro herbs, to garnish
For the pickled shiitakes
12 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 2 hours and stalks removed
100 g caster sugar
100 ml [light soy sauce]
125 ml rice vinegar
2 slices fresh root ginger
1 star anise
Method
Make the pickled shiitakes in advance. Remove the mushrooms from their soaking liquid and transfer to a medium saucepan. Add 200 ml of the soaking liquid, passing it through a fine sieve, then add the rest of the pickled shiitake ingredients. Simmer for 15 minutes, then transfer to a sterilised jar and leave to pickle for at least 3 days.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok and stir-fry the lobster shells with the spring onion, ginger and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the cubed squash and stir-fry for 3 minutes, then pour over the stock. Cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or until the squash is tender to the point of a knife.
Discard the lobster shells and strain the squash, reserving the cooking liquid. Transfer the squash to a food processor and blend to a smooth puree, using the reserved cooking liquid to achieve a thick sauce consistency. Add soy sauce to season, tasting as you go. Chill in the fridge.
Massage the sliced cauliflower with sesame oil and spread it out on a large baking tray. Use a blowtorch to scorch the cauliflower, then season with salt.
To plate the dish, add a small pile of burnt cauliflower to the centre of four plates. Top each one with half a lobster tail and add three pickled shiitakes. Spoon a little of the squash sauce onto each plate and garnish with micro herbs.