Butter Poached Lobster Ravioli Food

LOBSTER RAVIOLI

Steps:

• For the ravioli: Heat the oil in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Add the shallots and sweat until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sweat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Deglaze with the white wine. Bring to a gentle simmer and add 1/2 stick of the butter. Stir until melted. Add the basil, parsley and tarragon. Add the lobster pieces and poach in the liquid until almost cooked through, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Remove from the heat, transfer the lobster to a dish and set aside to cool. Reserve the liquid.
• Bring a medium saute pan to medium-low heat. Add the flour and toast gently for about a minute. Add the salt and pepper and the remaining 1/2 stick butter, stirring constantly. Cook until the starch begins to dissipate, about 3 minutes; be careful to not allow the roux to darken. Whisk the reserved poaching liquid into the roux until smooth. Simmer until the starch is completely cooked out and the sauce is thickened, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to a medium mixing bowl and cool completely.
• Gently fold the lobster into the thickened poaching liquid. Lay out the wonton wrappers, working in small batches so they don't dry out. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling into the center of each, brush the edges with water to moisten, place a second wonton over top and press to adhere. Use an inverted 2-inch cookie cutter (the smooth side) to gently seal the filling into the middle (this ensures a snug fit and no air bubbles which will make the ravioli burst when poached). Use a 3-inch cookie cutter (the sharp side) to cut out and create round raviolis.
• Bring 2 quarts well-salted water to a simmer in a large pot. Working in batches, simmer the ravioli until they are al dente, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Meanwhile, make the brown butter sage sauce: Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and cook, stirring until it melts and becomes foamy. Once the butter turns golden brown and has a nutty aroma, about 3 minutes, add the capers, sage and garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Once the sage is fragrant, remove the skillet from the heat and fold in the parsley, tarragon and lemon juice. Stir to incorporate and warm up the herbs and lemon -- this will release their aroma but they'll maintain their bright vibrant color.
• To heat and serve: Working in batches to not overcrowd the pan, gently toss the poached ravioli in the brown butter in a large saute pan for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat to coat the pasta evenly. Place the ravioli on plates and spoon over sauce from the pan. Top with shaved Parmesan, garnish with basil buds and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

BUTTER POACHED LOBSTER, MUSCADE DE PROVENCE RAVIOLI, TRUFFLE BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the lobster: Have ready a large bowl filled with ice. Fill a very large wide-bottomed pot with water and add the vinegar, carrots, onion, celery, anise seed, fennel seed, coriander seed, bay leaf, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, submerge the lobsters (cook one at a time if they don't all fit) in the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lobsters and immediately place in the ice bath to stop further cooking.
• Lay a lobster on a towel; pull the legs off and snap off the knuckles. Remove the thin part of the claws and the bone inside the claw meat by twisting and pulling it out. Lay the claw flat on a towel, cover, and gently pound with a wide mallet or heel of a knife. Use your fingers to gently push the meat through the large opening at the other end. Lay the tail meat flat and use shears to cut in half lengthwise through the middle. Remove the vein running through the inside of the tail but leave the meat inside the tail.
• For the knuckles, cut off the top joint of each knuckle and use scissors to cut away the shell along the smooth outside edge of the knuckle. Use your finger to open up the shell and remove the meat. Reserve the meat on a paper towel, cover, and refrigerate.
• For the body, pull back and discard the sack behind the head. Save the dark green roe for a sauce and the body and legs for a stock, if you want. Discard the tomalley and lungs.
• To make the beurre fondue: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the anise seed, fennel seed, star anise, cayenne, and coriander, and saute for a few more minutes. Add the wine; bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Add the butter pieces gradually and whisk consistently to obtain and emulsify the beurre fondue. Strain out the shallots. Add the tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• To make the muscade de Provence ravioli: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Split the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Set the pieces on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Dab pieces of the butter on the individual pieces of pumpkin. Drizzle the honey over the pieces, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and set the cinnamon stick on one of the pumpkin halves. Pour the water in the pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until the pumpkin is very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool in the pan, reserving the liquid in the pan. Scrape the flesh from the rind; discard the rind and the cinnamon stick. Blend the pumpkin with the remaining liquid in the pan, strain, and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Lay out a wonton wrapper, brush with the beaten egg, and place 1 teaspoon of muscade de Provence filling in the center of the wrapper. Cover with a second wrapper and press down the edges around the filling, making sure to push all air bubbles away from the center towards the outer edges. Press on the edges to seal. Use a cutter in order to shape the ravioli or trim the edges to the desired from. Dust with flour to prevent sticking, and chill until ready to use.
• To cook, blanch the ravioli in boiling water for 1 minute.
• To make the truffle butter sauce: Mix 1 1/2 cups of the beurre fondue with the truffle and veal stock, if using.
• To make the salad: In a bowl, mix together the frisee, celery root, microgreens, almonds, and apples. Toss with the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To serve: Immerse the lobster in the warm beurre fondue and leave for 2 minutes, off the heat, just long enough to warm up the lobster and finish the cooking. Put a spoonful of truffle butter sauce on the bottom of a plate to make a circle. Put the warm ravioli on top. Season with salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Then set the lobster on the ravioli, pulled somewhat out of its shell. Add the salad on top, tucking it in some of the lobster shell.

BUTTER POACHED LOBSTER RAVIOLI

Steps:

• For the Pasta Dough: Put the first 2 ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix briefly. Make a well in the flour and add eggs into it. Mix the eggs into the flour and knead the mixture with your hands until smooth. Add water only as needed to reach desired consistency. Avoid adding more than necessary. Flatten dough slightly and cover with plastic. Chill dough in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
• For the Lobster Filling: Drop the lobsters in boiling water for no more than 45 seconds to a minute. Separate the tail, body, and claws. Split the tail and remove the meat. Crack the claws and knuckles open and remove their meat - setting aside the meat from the larger claw and its knuckles.
• Smash the shells (including the body) with a cleaver or meat mallet. Covering the shells with a kitchen towel first helps avoid making a mess. Heat the clarified butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium/high heat. Add the lobster shells, celery, carrots, and onions. Cook until the mixture caramelizes. This may take up to a half hour. Keep the heat on medium to high. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown residue from the bottom of the pot. Add the water (should be enough to cover the contents of the pot. If not add more) and simmer for about 45 minutes.
• While this lobster stock is cooking, cut 8 ounces butter into small cubes. Place them in a small saucepan and add 1 tablespoon of water. Heat the butter slowly - whisking it with the water until fully melted. Add the lobster tail meat and the claw and knuckle meat from the smaller claw. Cook the meat in the butter over low heat for a total of about 5 minutes. Check the claw and knuckle meat after about 3 minutes. When cooked, remove the meat from the butter and set aside to cool slightly. Cut the tail and knuckle meat into small cubes. The claw meat will break up in your fingers.
• Returning to the lobster stock, strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve - saving the stock and discarding the rest. Pour the stock into a clean saucepot, return to the stove and bring to a boil. Continue at a rolling boil until it has reduced down to about a quart of liquid. Remove half of the liquid and set it aside.
• Add the white wine and reduce again - this time down as much as possible. When fully reduced, the bubbles from boiling will be much tighter. There may be as little as a tablespoon of liquid left. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the 1-ounce of butter. Set this wine reduction aside.
• In a food processor puree the claw and knuckle meat from the larger claw (that you set aside earlier) until it is a smooth paste. Fold the poached lobster meat and about a tablespoon of the wine reduction into the pureed meat. Add a pinch of sea salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate filling until ready to use.
• For the Vanilla Bourbon Sauce: Combine the lobster stock set aside from the filling, the bourbon, vanilla bean, and thyme in a saucepot and bring to a rolling boil. When the mixture has reduced by about half remove the thyme and discard. Remove the vanilla bean and set aside. Continue reducing the liquid until it thickens. Reduce heat to low. Split the vanilla bean and scrape its seeds. Add the seeds to the sauce and discard the pod. Cube up the butter and whisk it, bit by bit, into the sauce to finish it. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• For the Celeriac Puree: Place the diced celeriac in a medium saucepot and pour the cream over it. Cut a disk out of parchment paper just big enough to cover the celeriac (the inner diameter of the pot). Using this to cover the mixture instead of a pot lid will help prevent boil-over. Cook the mixture on low heat for 45 minutes or until celeriac is very tender. Remove paper and strain the mixture - reserving both the celeriac and the cream. In a food processor puree the celeriac. Add just enough cream to make a smooth puree. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the Chanterelle Mushroom Ragout: Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 15 minutes and then add the fennel. When this mixture has caramelized (may take about 15 minutes) add the chanterelles and the herbs. Add the wine and cook until it reduces by two thirds. Swirl in the butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• For the Ravioli: Roll the pasta dough out into sheets using a pasta roller. Brush 1 sheet at a time lightly with egg wash. Spoon small mounds of filling (about 1 teaspoon each) onto 1 side of the dough - about 1-inch apart. Fold the dough over the filling and press it together just around the filling - working outward. Cut the ravioli with a pasta wheel or with a ring mold. If making a large batch, freeze the ravioli. This will make cooking them much easier. If not, cover and refrigerate until needed. Just before service, cook the ravioli in a large pot of salted boiling water for about 4 minutes.
• To plate: Pipe 3 small mounds of the celeriac puree in a row in the center of the plate. Gently set 1 ravioli on each mound - slanted upward. Spoon some of the mushroom ragout around the side of the ravioli and drizzle sauce on the plate. If edible flowers or fresh herb sprigs are available they can be used as a garnish.

LOBSTER RAVIOLI

Steps:

• Place all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Lay 1 sheet of pasta on a floured surface, and place heaping teaspoons of the filling on the pasta at 1 1/2-inch intervals, in lines 1 1/2 inches apart, until you have covered half the sheet. Brush the edges of the dough with water, and fold over the uncovered side of the dough. Pinch edges to seal. Using a fluted pastry wheel cut down the length of the dough between the mounds of filling. Then cut each strip into individual ravioli parcels. Pinch all edges to seal, using a little water if necessary. Repeat with all dough and all filling. Arrange the ravioli in a single layer on a floured dish towel, and let them dry for about 1 hour, turning them over after 30 minutes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until tender. When ready, the pasta will rise to the surface of the water. Meanwhile heat the tomato sauce to a simmer. Stir in the cream and tarragon, and gently bring the sauce back to the simmer. Remove from heat. Drain the ravioli and serve with the tomato cream sauce and garnishes.;
• Heat oil in a large skillet, and saute the onion and garlic over medium heat until softened. Stir in the roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock and basil. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Yield: 3 cups;

BUTTER-POACHED LOBSTER ROLLS WITH CELERY FENNEL SLAW

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Remove the claws and tails from the lobsters. Boil the tails for 1 minute and the claws for 4 minutes, then remove from the water. Immediately remove the meat from the shells and set aside.
• Add the oil to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add and sweat the onions, garlic and bay leaves until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Carefully add the vermouth and reduce until dry, about 2 minutes. Add the cream, then reduce by two-thirds, until thick. Slowly whisk in the pound of butter little by little until fully emulsified. Add the lobster tail and claw meat to the butter cream sauce and poach over low heat at 165 degrees F until cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the lobster from the pan and allow to cool just to the touch. Rough chop and set aside.
• Add the mustard seeds, vinegar, sugar and 1 tablespoon kosher salt to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, separate the celery into stalks. Using a Japanese mandoline, slice the celery into paper-thin strips. Cut the fennel bulb into quarters. Using the Japanese mandoline, slice the fennel bulb paper thin.
• In a medium bowl, toss the celery slices, fennel slices, mustard oil and 2 tablespoons pickled mustard seeds. Taste and adjust as desired with more mustard seeds. Keep cool until ready to serve.
• In a 12-inch cast-iron pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and griddle the buns, top side-down, over medium-high heat until golden brown.
• Open the buns and fill with spoonfuls of the lobster mixture. Top with a handful of the slaw and garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.

BUTTER POACHED LOBSTER SHOOTERS

Steps:

• Reserve 1 cup of clarified butter and try to keep warm.
• Place lobster tails in a large pot and cover with the remaining butter. Add 3 cloves of garlic to the pot. Poach on a low heat until the lobster shell changes color and meat is cooked. Allow to cool slightly and harvest meat from tails. Chop meat into bite-size pieces.
• While meat is still warm, assemble the shooters. In shot glass pour a bit of the reserved warm butter into each glass. Top with lobster meat and drizzle with a bit of the lemon juice.