Larry Matthews JR - chef's recipes

Art Culinaire, Summer, 2002

To serve: Arrange on a long plate from left to right: some lobster bisque in an espresso cup, sprinkled with black pepper profiteroles; a slice of lobster and gravlax terrine; a mound of rock weed topped with a lobster mousseline stuffed mussel; and a lobster tail on chive creme fraiche topped with caviar.

Cristal Louis Roederer Champagne, France 1995

ingredients


For the soup:
For the lobster bisque:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 cooked lobster bodies, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
5 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup cognac
1/2 cup cooked white rice
2 1/2 quarts lobster stock
1 cup heavy cream
Salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste

For the black pepper profiteroles:
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tablespoons finely ground black pepper
5 eggs, room temperature
Salt to taste

For the lobster and gravlax terrine:
For the gravlax:
2 cups kosher salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup freshly ground black pepper
4 bunches dill, stemmed and chopped
1 1/2-pound side of salmon, skin on

For the lobster:
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 sheet gelatin, softened in cold water
4 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2 1 1/2-pound lobsters, boiled, shelled, and meat diced
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 small red onion, peeled and minced
4 sprigs parsley, stemmed and minced
4 sprigs tarragon, stemmed and minced
4 sprigs chives, minced
4 sprigs chervil, minced
Reserved gravlax slices
Salt and white pepper to taste

For the stuffed mussel:
For the lobster mousseline:
6 3-ounce lobster tails, blanched and
shelled, tips cut and reserved
2 ounces sea scallops
1 small shallot, peeled and minced
2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
6 large Blue Hill mussels *
Olive oil to drizzle
Salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste

For the lobster tail:
For the chive creme fraiche:
1/2 bunch chives, blanched and finely minced
1 cup creme fraiche
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:
Reserved lobster tail tips
Sevruga caviar
Rock weed **

* Available through Harbor Fish Market at (800) 370-1790.

** Rock weed is a type of seaweed that is often used as a garnish.

Note: The gravlax recipe will cure an entire side of salmon, which will
provide more gravlax than required for the recipe.

Lobster Consomme with Lobster Flan and Lobster Salpicon (Serves 6)

directions

For the lobster consomme: In a food processor, pulse the lobster bodies, onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes and egg whites to form a rough paste. In a large saucepan, whisk together the lobster puree and fish stock. Simmer, stirring gently until a raft forms on the surface. Simmer for one hour to clarify. Remove from the heat and using a ladle, carefully strain the liquid through a coffee-filter lined, fine mesh sieve. Discard the raft. Season the strained liquid and keep warm.

For the lobster flan: Arrange six 2-ounce remekins in a deep ovenproof pan and pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large saucepan, bring the lobster bodies and cream to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until reduced by half. Remove from the heat and set aside in an ice bath to cool. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and reserve two tablespoons for the salpicon.