Ingredients:
For Lobster:
2 1-½ lb. Maine lobsters
2 gal. water
1 lemon, halved
2 bay leaves
1 cup vinegar
Salt, to taste
4 ozs. unsalted butter
1 sprig fresh thyme
For sauce:
1 shallot, chopped
8 ozs. white wine
2 ozs. lemon juice
1 tbsp. heavy cream
½ vanilla bean
12 ozs. unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
grilled pineapple rings
Gaufrette potato chips
Micro greens
Procedure:
- FOR SOUS VIDE LOBSTER: Set up stock pot with water, lemon, bay leaves and salt it until it tastes like the ocean. Bring to a boil. Poach lobsters for two minutes. Remove and put into an ice bath. Remove tails and cut in half length-wise to remove meat. Clean with cold water if necessary. Remove claws, crack and carefully remove meat. Place meat in a vacuum bag with thyme sprig and butter and seal. Set sous vide circulator to 135°F. Cook lobster in water bath 20 minutes.
- FOR SAUCE: Combine shallots, white wine, and lemon juice and vanilla bean in a non-reactive saucepan over medium heat and reduce to a ¼-cup. Add the cream to the reduction. Once the liquid bubbles, reduce the heat to low. Add the butter, one cube at a time, whisking first with heat and then without heat. Continue whisking butter into the reduction until the mixture is fully emulsified and has reached a rich sauce consistency. Remove vanilla bean and scrape out seeds with a paring knife. Add to sauce. Season with salt and white pepper.
- TO PLATE: Warm four plates or bowls. Remove lobster from sous vide bags, place in bowl and toss with some of the sauce. Place 1 warm pineapple ring in each bowl. Place ½ a lobster tail and 1 claw on each pineapple ring. Sauce each plate. Garnish with vanilla beans, gaufrette potato chips and micro greens.
Recipe courtesy of Adam Scott, CEC, Executive Chef, Beacon Hill Country Club, Atlantic Highlands, N.J.