Roast Lobster With Vanilla Sauce

• 2 live lobsters, 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-pounds each
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 7 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3/4 pound tender spinach, stemmed
• 1 pound watercress, stemmed

1. Place a roasting pan large enough to hold the lobsters in the oven, and preheat to 450 degrees.
2. With the tip of a sharp knife pierce the lobsters between the eyes to sever the spinal cord.
3. Crack the claws using the blunt edge of a cleaver or a hammer.
4. Place the lobsters in the hot roasting pan, drizzle with oil and roast until red, about 15 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven, and set aside.
6. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter in a small saucepan, add the shallots and saute over low heat until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
7. Add wine and vinegar, raise heat and cook at a moderate boil until the liquid is reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 5 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in 6 tablespoons of butter, about 1 tablespoon at a time until all is incorporated.
9. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the sauce, stir to combine and strain into a clean saucepan.
10. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, and set aside.
11. When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the claws.
12. Detach the tails, and discard the heads.
13. With a pair of scissors, cut the shell on the underside of each tail in half lengthwise, remove the meat and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
14. Loosely cover the meat with aluminum foil, and keep warm.
15. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot, and add spinach and watercress.
16. Stir until greens have melted down, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender, about 5 minutes.
17. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
18. To serve, reheat the sauce over low heat until warm, whisking constantly.
19. Place a bed of greens on each plate, arrange the lobster meat on top and spoon the sauce over the lobster.
20. Serve immediately.

live lobsters, olive oil, unsalted butter, shallots, white wine, white wine vinegar, vanilla bean, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, tender spinach

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7844 (may not work)