Butter Braised Maine Lobster with Saffron Flan
4 Servings

PREPARATION
Bring two gallons of water to a boil, and add the following: one chopped onion, 4 bay leaves, 1 tbsp black peppercorn, salt and 1 lemon cut in half. Add the live lobsters, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove, and place in a bowl with ice water.

After the lobsters are cool, remove tail and claws. Remove claw meat, and save shells for sauce. Split tail in half, and clean. Reserve for braising.

For the flan, mix in a bowl 2 cups heavy cream with the eggs, 1 tsp of garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Whip until slightly frothy, and pour into buttered custard cups. Bake in a shallow water bath for 20 to 30 minutes at 350°. Check flan by lightly pressing on the custard. When it is firm, remove from the oven, and cool down.

Then blanch the asparagus in salted boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove, and shock in ice water to keep the nice green color. Cut the tomatoes in half, and toss with the olive oil, 1 tsp of garlic, the basil, salt and pepper.

Cook in the oven at 250° for 45 minutes. Reserve for plating. For the sauce, heat up 2 oz of butter in a large pan. Add lobster shells, and cook until butter starts to brown. Add the cognac, 1 cup of cream, paprika, salt and pepper. Reduce to half, and strain for service.

Heat up the remaining butter in a sauté pan, and add lobster tails. Gently sauté by turning occasionally. Add claw meat, and continue cooking. Deglaze the pan with a little bit of dry Chardonnay. Finally, place lobster meat on the plates. Turn a flan mold upside down, and place it in the center of a plate with the arranges veggies. Pour the sauce over the lobster meat and serve.

Bon Appétit!

Geoffrey Cousineau, Director of Food & Beverages