Lobster Terrine Food

LOBSTER TERRINE

Steps:

• Before starting this Lobster Terrine recipe, make sure you have organised all the necessary ingredients.
• Soak the bread (crust removed) in milk.
• Cut the shallots into thin slices.
• Sweat the shallots in 10 grams of butter.
• Place the lobsters in simmering, salted water...
• ... and cook for 5 minutes. Drain.
• Blanch the spinach leaves in simmering, salted water.
• Place into a bowl of ice water...
• ... and drain.
• Shell the lobsters with precaution so that the tail and claws remain in one piece. Make sure you remove the cartilaginous part in the centre of the claw. The green matter shown in the photo is the lobster roe. Even though some prefer not to use it, this part of the lobster is edible and does not have to be discarded. It is up to you. The green colour is due to the fact it is still raw. During the cooking process in the oven, the roe will turn orange (coral). Set aside.
• In the food mixer recipient, place the raw white fish, the whole egg, egg yolk...
• ... drained bread...
• ... and cooked shallots. Season with salt, pepper and Cayenne pepper.
• Mix finely.
• Cut the lobster tails in half lengthwise and wrap in spinach leaves.
• Repeat the same operation with the lobster claws.
• Spread a layer of the fish preparation at the bottom of a buttered mould. I recommend using a piping bag for an easier process. You can also cook this terrine in a standard cake tin in order to make bigger slices.
• Place the lobster tails and claws wrapped in spinach.
• Do not forget to add the raw lobster roe.
• Cover with another layer of fish preparation...
• ... and even the surface with a metallic spatula. If there is still some fish preparation left in the piping bag, fill up a separate ramekin.
• Bake at 180-200°C (gas 4-6)...
• ... for 25-30 minutes.
• Insert the blade of a knife to check whether the terrine is cooked. The preparation should not stick to the knife. Let cool before slicing.
• Prepare the sauce. Mix all the necessary ingredients in a bowl until homogeneous.
• Remove the terrine from the mould and serve it cold, in slices, with sauce on the side.

COUNTRY TERRINE

Steps:

• Assemble and marinate terrine:
• Cook onion in butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl set in a bowl of ice.
• While onion cools, pulse salt, peppercorns, allspice, nutmeg, and bay leaf in grinder until finely ground. Add to onion mixture and whisk in cream, eggs, and brandy until combined well.
• Pulse chicken livers in a food processor until finely chopped, then add to onion mixture along with ground pork and veal and mix together well with your hands or a wooden spoon. Stir in ham cubes.
• Line bottom and long sides of terrine mold crosswise with about 6 to 9 strips of bacon, arranging them close together (but not overlapping) and leaving a 1/2- to 2-inch overhang. Fill terrine evenly with ground-meat mixture, rapping terrine on counter to compact it (it will mound slightly above edge). Cover top of terrine lengthwise with 2 or 3 more bacon slices if necessary to cover completely, and fold overhanging ends of bacon back over these. Cover terrine with plastic wrap and chill at least 8 hours to marinate meats.
• Bake terrine:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
• Discard plastic wrap and cover terrine tightly with a double layer of foil.
• Bake terrine in a water bath until thermometer inserted diagonally through foil at least 2 inches into center of terrine registers 155 to 160°F, 1 3/4 to 2 hours. Remove foil and let terrine stand in mold on a rack, 30 minutes.
• Weight terrine:
• Put terrine in mold in a cleaned baking pan. Put a piece of parchment or wax paper over top of terrine, then place on top of parchment another same-size terrine mold or a piece of wood or heavy cardboard cut to fit inside mold and wrapped in foil. Put 2 to 3 (1-pound) cans on terrine or on wood or cardboard to weight cooked terrine. Chill terrine in pan with weights until completely cold, at least 4 hours. Continue to chill terrine, with or without weights, at least 24 hours to allow flavors to develop.
• To serve:
• Run a knife around inside edge of terrine and let stand in mold in a pan with 1 inch of hot water (to loosen bottom) 2 minutes. Tip terrine mold (holding terrine) to drain excess liquid, then invert a cutting board over terrine, reinvert terrine onto cutting board, and gently wipe outside of terrine (bacon strips) with a paper towel. Let terrine stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, then transfer to a platter if desired and cut, as needed, into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

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.