Lobster a la Gallega

Fill a large pot with enough water to submerge the potatoes and lobster later. Add the coarse sea salt, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.

Add the whole, scrubbed potatoes to the boiling water. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until they are tender all the way through.

Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the tender potatoes and set them aside on a cutting board. Keep the seasoned water boiling vigorously. Add the raw lobster tails and boil for 4 to 5 minutes until fully cooked, reaching an internal temperature of 60°C/140°F.

While the lobster boils, prepare an ice bath in a mixing bowl using the ice cubes and cold water. Once the lobster tails are cooked, immediately transfer them into the ice bath to halt the cooking process. Let them rest for 3 minutes, then use kitchen shears to cut down the back of each shell and extract the meat in one whole piece.

Peel the warm potatoes if you prefer them without skins, then slice them into 1-centimeter thick rounds. Slice the chilled lobster tail meat into neat medallions of a similar thickness.

Arrange the warm potato slices on a serving platter, creating a slightly overlapping bed. Place one lobster medallion directly on top of each potato slice.

Generously drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the assembled lobster and potatoes. Dust evenly with the sweet smoked paprika and finish with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately while the potatoes still hold their warmth.