Method

Pastry: Sieve the flour with the salt into a roomy bowl. Chop the lard and butter into the flour with a sharp knife. Finish rubbing in the fat to flour with the tips of your fingers. Work in enough ice-cold water to give you soft, but not sticky, dough. Cover with plastic wrap, and leave the dough to rest in a cool place for half an hour or so.

Preheat oven to 375° F

Fill a large pot (roomy enough to accommodate lobster) with water and bring to the boil. When boiling, drop in lobster and cook for 3-4 minutes - just long enough that the shell reddens. Remove from water and drain.  Sever the head and cut lobster in half, taking care to save the greenish black brain (rather like liquid seaweed).   Reserve the brain for making lobster butter or use in the tart filling.

Remove the lobster meat from the body, claws and head (leave out the dark intestine which runs right down the body - and the stomach at the top of the head). Slice the body meat into medallions. Leave the claw meat whole.

Bake the tart-case blind (lined with foil weighted with dried beans instead of filling) in a medium oven, 375° F for 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for five minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 400°F.

Beat the milk, cream and eggs together and season. Pour the mixture into the cooled tart tin. Arrange the lobster pieces over all. Bake at increased heat (400°F) for 30 minutes, until the egg-filling is set.

Serves: 4

Contributor: pat ciesla

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