Photo from dinner at the
French Laundry Restaurant.
In the fall of 1999, after five
years serving an inventive butter-poached lobster dish at the French
Laundry, his celebrated restaurant in Yountville, CA, chef Thomas
Keller published this recipe in his cookbook called
The French
Laundry. Thomas Keller said "I wanted to find a way to cook
lobster gently, so it wouldn't be tough. I don't remember seeing it done
anywhere else, and this made perfect sense to me. Who in America hasn't
had lobster with melted butter?"
The recipe below is my
adaptation of a combination of several recipes from different sources,
with my minor changes.
Don't
forget to check
out my seven-course
Butter-Poached Lobster Tails dinner menu
which includes these fabulous
Butter-Poached Lobster Tails.
More of Linda's great
Lobster Recipes
and also check out check out my article
How To Buy
Frozen Lobster Tails.
Butter-Poached
Lobster Tails with Caviar Mousse
Recipe Type:
Seafood,
Lobster,
Caviar, Dinner Menu
Yields: serves many
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 7 min
Ingredients:
Butter-Poached Lobster Tails
Caviar Mousse (see recipe below)
Dijon Mustard Sauce (see recipe below)
1
lobster tail, per person, shells removed and tails on
Non-salted butter, cut into small chunks
1 tablespoon water
Preparation:
Prepare Caviar Mousse and Dijon Mustard
Sauce ahead of time.
Prepare Beurre Monte
(see below).
When you are about an hour from serving the lobster
tails, take them out of the refrigerator and bring them to room
temperature.
When ready to poach the lobster tails,
in a pan large enough to hold the lobster tails and using a thermometer, bring the
prepared Beurre Monte up to at least 160° degrees F., but not over 190° degrees
F.
Depending on how large and how many lobster tails you are preparing,
will determine how long to poach them; it usually takes from 5 to 7
minutes
or until an instant-read
meat thermometer
register and internal temperature of 140 degrees F. (do not overcook.
They should not be rubbery but of a soft consistency (almost as
if not completely cooked). The lobster should be white and not very
opaque in color. When done, remove them from the Beaurre Monte and
serve.
This
is the type of cooking and meat thermometer that I prefer and
use in my cooking.
I get many readers
asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my
cooking and baking.
I, personally, use the
Thermapen Thermometer
shown in the photo on the right. Originally designed
for professional users, the
Super-Fast Thermapen
Thermometer is used by
chefs all over the world. To learn more about this excellent
thermometer and to also purchase one (if you desire), just click
on the underlined:
Thermapen Thermometer.
Beurre Monte:
Definition of Beurre
Monte: Butter is an emulsification of 80% milk fat, 18% water,
and 2% milk solids. Heating butter above 160 degrees will cause it to
"break" or separate into its different composition parts. A Beuree Monte
is a techniques of keeping melted butter in an emulsified state between
180 degrees and 190 degrees, which is sufficient to poach meats or
vegetables.
Determine how much butter you will need
for the Beurre Monte by placing
the lobster tails in a large enough pan, side by side; add just enough
water to cover. Immediately remove the lobster tails, drain them, set
aside; and measure the water in the pan. You will need this amount of
butter to cover and poach the tails.
In a saucepan, bring the 1 tablespoon of water to a
boil over high heat; reduce the heat to low and begin adding the chunks
of butter (a little at a time) whisking to emulsify. Once the emulsion
is started, more butter may be whisked in faster. Hold the temperature
of the Beurre Monte between 160 and 190 degrees F. for poaching. DO NOT
BOIL OR THE MIXTURE WILL BREAK! The mixture should have the consistency
of a very thick butter sauce.
NOTE: Beurre Monte can be set aside on
the stove after being prepared. You should use the beurre monte within
an hour after you make it.
The Beurre Monte can be frozen and used anytime on vegetables or
seafood.
Caviar Mousse:
I adapted these recipes for
Caviar Mousse and Dijon Mustard Sauce originally by Guy Martin, Le Grand
Vefour, France - Food Network Television, Episode #FW1A12
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups lightly whipped
cream
1 shallot, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces
caviar
In a medium-size bowl, gently combine the Dijon mustard and whipped
cream until smooth. Add the finely chopped shallots and season with salt
and pepper. Gently fold in the caviar without breaking the eggs. May be
made 1 hour in advance of being served.
Dijon Mustard Sauce:
4 tablespoons
crème
fraiche
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white
wine
Salt and pepper to taste
In a small bowl, combine crème fraiche with Dijon mustard and white
wine until it thins out a little. Season with salt and pepper. This
sauce may be prepared several days in advance.
To Serve:
Place a
cookie ring on individual serving plate. Fill the ring with the Caviar
Mousse (carefully remove the ring, lifting upward).
Place prepared
lobster tail on the Caviar Mousse.
Drizzle some Dijon Mustard Sauce
around the food and sprinkle a few caviar eggs on sauce.
Drizzle a
little of the Beurre Monte over the lobster tail. Repeat with remaining
portions.
