Joel Robuchon's Lobster in Sauternes
- Salt
- 2 lobsters, about 1 1/2 pounds each
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 miniature carrots, washed and trimmed
- 3 cipollini onions, peeled and cut into thin half-rounds
- 3 cups Sauternes
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 thin slice of fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
- 10 threads of saffron
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley leaves, chopped
- Sea salt
- In a stockpot just large enough to hold the lobsters, add 3 inches of water and 1 tablespoon of salt.
- When the water boils, add the lobster bodies, return water to a boil and poach for 3 minutes.
- Remove lobsters and twist off the legs and discard.
- Remove the large claws and knuckles and return them to the pot.
- Boil for 2 minutes, remove, rinse under cold water and when cool enough to handle crack the claws and knuckles and remove the meat.
- Set aside.
- In a cocotte or a casserole with a lid just large enough to hold the lobsters snugly, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.
- Cut the carrots into thin rounds and saute them.
- Melt 2 more tablespoons of butter in the pan with the carrots.
- Add the onions and a pinch of salt and saute until the onions are soft but not brown.
- Add the Sauternes, orange juice, the remaining butter, the ginger, the saffron, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
- Bring to a boil.
- Add the lobster bodies, return the liquid to a boil, cover and boil for 4 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 3 minutes.
- Remove the lobsters and split them in half lengthwise using a heavy chef's knife.
- Remove the meat and discard the shells.
- Add the claw meat to the liquid and warm it over a low flame.
- Arrange the tail meat on plates, and distribute the claw meat equally.
- If necessary, reduce the liquid, season with sea salt and pepper and stir in parsley.
- Divide the reduction evenly among the lobsters.
salt, lobsters, unsalted butter, carrots, onions, orange juice, thin slice, threads of saffron, freshly ground pepper, italian parsley, salt
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10131 (may not work)