OVERVIEW
This recipe was created using North Sea lobster from Belhaven, a village on the coast of East Lothian, Scotland. We cooked it entirely on the MiniMax Big Green Egg – the broth built low and slow in a Dutch oven directly on the EGG, the lobster halves grilled cut-side down over screaming charcoal until the edges charred and the flesh barely set. We finished it with a crispy chilli oil made right there in a cast iron pan. One fire. One cook. Everything from the EGG.
MAKE THE BROTH
Set up your EGG for direct cooking with the Stainless Steel Grid in place. The target temperature is 140°C-150°C
Place a Cast Iron Dutch Oven or heavy-lidded casserole on the grid and pour in the stock. Close the Dome and bring the stock to a gentle simmer – about 5 minutes. Add the sliced shiitake and grated ginger. Put the lid on the pot, close the Dome and cook for 8 minutes until the mushrooms are silky.
Add the leek rounds and grated garlic and cook for a further 4 minutes. Take the pot off the EGG and remove the lid.
In a bowl, whisk together the white and dark misos, the mirin and the soy sauce, together with a ladle of the hot broth. Once smooth, stir back into the pot along with the toasted sesame oil. Taste and adjust. Keep covered and warm. Do not return to a boil.
GRILL THE LOBSTER
Humanely dispatch the lobsters by chilling in the freezer for 20 minutes to sedate, then piercing firmly through the head cross with a sharp chef’s knife. Halve lengthways and remove the stomach sac.
Brush the cut flesh with 2 tbsp neutral oil and season with flaky sea salt.
Bring the EGG up to 220°C-250°C. Place the lobster halves cut-side down directly on the grid. Cooking with the Dome open, grill for 3-4 minutes until the flesh is just opaque throughout and the edges have char marks. Do not overcook. Remove and rest for 2 minutes. Extract the tail meat in thick medallions. Crack the claws and remove whole.
Place the shells directly on the hot charcoal for 2 minutes to char and smoke, then drop them into the broth. This adds an extraordinary smoky depth. Remove the shells before serving.
MAKE THE CHILLI IL
Bring the EGG down to 160°C-170°C. Place a small cast iron pan directly on the grid. Add 100ml neutral oil and let it warm for 2 minutes. Add the sliced shallots and garlic and fry gently with the Dome closed, stirring every minute, for 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove the pan from the EGG. Add the dried chilli flakes into the hot oil – it will sizzle and turn the oil a deep red. Stir in the sesame seeds, soy sauce and flaky sea salt. Cool slightly.
COOK THE NOODLES
Cook 300g the noodles in a separate pot of boiling water. Drain and rinse briefly. Divide between four deep, warmed bowls.
Reheat the miso broth gently if needed – warm, not boiling. Ladle generously over the noodles so they are fully submerged. Arrange the lobster tail medallions and a whole claw on top. Squeeze the lime juice over the lobster. Scatter over the spring onions and nori strips. Spoon the crispy chilli oil generously over everything – the red oil pooling into the smoky miso broth is the finish. Serve immediately with extra chilli oil alongside.