Lobster With Brandy Butter Recipes

LOBSTER TAILS WITH CLARIFIED BUTTER

Steps:

• Light the coals in a fire pit 1 hour before cooking or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.
• Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut through the top shell lengthwise. Cut a slit through the meat lengthwise taking care not to cut through the bottom shell. Gently pull the shells apart. Thread a skewer, starting at the underside base of the tail, along the inside of the bottom shell. Brush the meat with 1/4 cup of the clarified butter. Wrap the lobster tails in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the lobster meat is opaque.
• Place the remaining clarified butter in a butter warmer or dipping bowl. Remove the meat from the lobster shells and dip in the Clarified Butter.
• In a small, heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat. Pour the mixture into a 2-cup glass measuring jug. Let the melted butter stand for 5 minutes. Using a spoon, remove the foam from the top of the butter. Place the lemon zest in small bowl. Pour the clarified butter over the lemon zest and discard the milk solids left in the bottom of the jug.
• Yield: 1 1/4 cups

LOBSTER WITH BRANDY BUTTER

Steps:

• Fill two 10-quart pots halfway with water; heat to boiling.
• Meanwhile, place shallots and brandy in small saucepan and boil over high heat until brandy is reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 3 minutes.
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heavy medium saucepan; discard shallots.
• Place pan over medium heat and whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, blending first piece before adding next. Sauce should be thick and foamy. Season with salt and cover to keep warm.
• Drop lobsters headfirst into boiling water. Cover pots, return to boiling, then boil 8 minutes. Drain lobsters in sink.
• Place each lobster on cutting board and split lengthwise in half, cutting from underside with heavy sharp knife.
• Pour warm butter sauce into 8 small bowls or ramekins and serve with lobsters.

BUTTERFLIED LOBSTER WITH CURRY BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Brush the cut side of the lobster with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, cut-side down until golden brown, and just cooked through. Flip for 45 seconds to just heat through. Remove from the grill and slather with curry butter.
• Heat oil in a small saucepan on the grates of the grill or on the side burners. Add onions and garlic, curry powder and wine and cook until reduced, about 30 minutes. Strain. Place the butter in a bowl, add the curry mixture and mix until well combined, season with salt.

BROWN BUTTER RISOTTO WITH LOBSTER

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the lobster tails and boil for 8 to 10 minutes until the shells curl and the lobster meat turns white. Drain, transfer to a cutting board, and cool for 15 minutes. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut through the top shell lengthwise. Remove the meat and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Keep hot over low heat.
• In a large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to foam and then turns brown, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Add the onion and cook, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the brandy and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding the stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of stock to absorb before adding the next. Cook until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, the remaining butter and 2 tablespoons chives. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Transfer the risotto to a large serving bowl. Arrange the lobster meat on top of the risotto and garnish with the remaining chives.

LOBSTER WITH GARLIC BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with a large shallow baking pan in upper third.
• Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then stir together with butter and parsley.
• Plunge lobsters headfirst into a large pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) and cook, covered, 3 minutes from time they enter water. Transfer with tongs to a plate and let stand 5 minutes. (Lobsters will not be fully cooked.)
• Lightly crack claws, then split lobsters lengthwise and discard innards from body cavity.
• Remove tail meat from 1 lobster and cut crosswise into 8 pieces. Spread about 2 tablespoons garlic butter in one empty half shell, then fill that shell with all of sliced lobster and dot with 1 tablespoon garlic butter. Spoon about 5 tablespoons garlic butter into other empty half shell (for dipping). Repeat with remaining lobster.

LOBSTER BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Put lobster shells on the largest sheet pan you can fit in the oven, and allow them to dry and roast, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 stick butter per lobster in a large bowl or double boiler set over simmering water, making sure bowl does not touch the surface of water. Add lobster shells to the melted butter and simmer gently, without boiling, for about 20 minutes.
• Strain the melted butter through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into another bowl, then set that bowl into ice to chill. Cover bowl and refrigerate to set, then skim off the top and discard any liquids. Use within a few days, or freeze for up to a few weeks.

CHEF JOHN'S LOBSTER THERMIDOR

Steps:

• Cut bottom shell of lobster tails using kitchen shears along each side where it meets the top shell; do not remove the shell at this point.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place lobster tails cut side down in the butter. Cook, covered, about 3 minutes. Turn lobster tails over (they are curved so will lean to 1 side); cover and cook 1 minute. Lean them to the other side; cover and cook 1 minute more.
• Remove from heat. Transfer lobster tails to a bowl. Remove any shell pieces from the skillet.
• Place 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet over medium heat; add shallots and pinch of salt. Cook and stir until pan starts to deglaze and shallots soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook stir until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add flour; stir until mushrooms are coated and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in cognac; use a kitchen torch to flame cognac to burn off alcohol. This will take just a few seconds. Add milk; cook and stir until pan is completely deglazed and milk begins to thicken and turn bubbly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in creme fraiche. Let cool.
• Remove lobster meat from the shell, leaving top shell intact. Remove any bits of bottom shell from the meat.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking pan with crinkled up foil. Make 4 channel-like indentations in the foil to hold and stabilize the lobster tails as they bake.
• Slice lobster meat down the middle and check for and remove any dark veins. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer meat to a mixing bowl. Add cooled sauce, tarragon, pinch of salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir gently until well blended.
• Divide mixture among the lobster tail shells; place in prepared foil-lined pan. Sprinkle each lobster tail with about 1/2 teaspoon bread crumbs and 1/2 teaspoon grated cheese. Drizzle melted butter on the stuffed shells.
• Bake in preheated oven until nicely browned and heated through, about 10 minutes. If you like, you can turn on the broiler and broil 1 minute until tops are golden and crispy.

LOBSTER WITH THERMIDOR BUTTER

Steps:

• First make the butter. Put the wine and shallot into a pan, then bring to the boil and simmer until nearly dry. Tip into a bowl to cool, mix all the ingredients together, roll into a log, using cling film or foil, then chill to harden. Can be frozen for up to 1 month.
• Snap away the claws from the lobster. Using a large chef's knife, cut the lobster in half and wash the head cavity under cold water, then dry with kitchen paper. Lay the lobsters, cut side up, on a baking tray. Crack the claws and remove the claw meat. Divide claw meat between the head cavities. This can be done the day before and the lobster kept in the fridge ready for grilling.
• Heat grill to high. Slice the butter into thin rounds and lay it along the lobsters so all the meat is covered. Grill for 5-8 mins until the butter is bubbling and starting to brown. Put the lobsters on plates, pouring any butter from the tray over them. Serve with new potatoes and some dressed salad leaves.