Lobster Recipe

Chill and humanely stun the lobsters: place the live lobsters in the freezer for 15–20 minutes to sedate them.

Fill a large pot with 4 liters of cold water, add enough ice to make an ice bath in a large bowl for later, and set aside.

Make the poaching liquid

In a wide pot large enough to hold the lobsters, combine 1 cup water, 120 ml dry white wine, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp peppercorns and 1 tbsp kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Add 115 g unsalted butter to the simmering liquid and let it melt, whisking once to incorporate. Keep the poaching liquid at a very gentle simmer (do not boil). The temperature should be around 80–90°C (176–194°F).

Working one lobster at a time, place the sedated lobster headfirst into the simmering butter-poaching liquid. Cover the pot and poach for 8–10 minutes for 1–1.25 lb (450–560 g) lobsters; for 1.5–2 lb lobsters poach 12–14 minutes. (For our 2-lobster recipe, monitor size and use the above times per lobster.) The shells will turn bright red and the meat should be opaque and firm. Do not overcook.

When done, transfer each lobster with tongs to the prepared ice bath for 1 minute to stop cooking and set texture, then move to a wire rack to drain briefly.

Split and extract meat: Place a lobster belly-up on a cutting board. Using kitchen shears or a chef’s knife, remove the tail by twisting where it meets the body. Crack the tail shell and remove the meat in one piece if possible. Twist off the claws, crack with a nutcracker or the back of a heavy knife and extract the meat. Remove knuckle meat with a small spoon. Check the legs and body cavity for additional meat.

Check for the tomalley (green liver) and roe (red coral) if present: remove if you do not wish to serve it; it is edible and flavorful for sauces if desired.

Warm 115 g melted unsalted butter in a small pan or microwave (low power) for dipping. Keep warm but not smoking.

Arrange lobster meat on a warmed platter. Sprinkle chopped parsley (2 tbsp) over the meat, season lightly with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately with warm melted butter and lemon wedges.

Optional: reserve shells to make a quick lobster stock/sauce by roasting shells at 200°C (400°F) for 10–15 minutes, then simmering with aromatics and water for 30–45 minutes.