Salade homard

03 — Method

1. NOTE: buy 2 LIVE Breton lobsters, 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) each, from a trusted fishmonger the same morning. The blue Breton lobster is more flavorful than the Canadian kind.
2. Bring the 3 L (3 qt) water to a boil with 3 tbsp coarse sea salt in the very large 6 L (6 qt) pot, to mimic seawater. This salinity is ESSENTIAL.
3. DELICATE STEP: plunge the 2 lobsters HEAD FIRST into the boiling salted water; it's quick and humane. Cook 8 minutes at a full boil for 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) lobsters.
4. Drain immediately and plunge into the large ice bath for 2 minutes to stop the cooking. Let cool 10 minutes until you can handle them.
5. Shell the lobster: twist off the head from the tail. Halve the tail lengthwise and lift out the meat in one piece with a spoon. Crack the claws and knuckles with a lobster cracker or mallet and remove the meat.
6. Cut the tail meat into even 1.5 cm (⅝ in) medallions. Keep the claw meat whole for garnish.
7. Prep the asparagus: peel the bottoms and blanch 4 minutes in boiling salted water. Plunge IMMEDIATELY into ice water to keep them bright green. Drain and cut on the bias into 4 cm (1½ in) pieces.
8. Make the dressing: olive oil, juice of the 2 limes and 1 lemon, sherry vinegar, mustard, acacia honey, salt and pepper. Plate on 4 large plates: dressed mâche and arugula, asparagus, diced avocado, lobster medallions, whole claws, salmon roe and herbs.