BUTTER-POACHED LOBSTER WITH LEEKS, POMMES MAXIM AND RED-BEET ESSENCE

Butter-Poached Lobster With Leeks, Pommes Maxim And Red-Beet Essence image

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Time 2h

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

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Ingredients

1 pound unsalted butter at room temperature, in pieces
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leek rounds
1/4 medium-size ripe tomato, peeled, flesh cut in small diamond shapes
2 teaspoons minced chives
1 teaspoon each finely diced carrot, turnip and dark green of leeks
Red-beet essence (see recipe)
Par-cooked meat from 3 lobsters at room temperature (see recipe)
Pommes Maxim (see recipe)

Steps:

Place 2 tablespoons water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, and whisk in butter piece by piece. Continue adding until all butter is emulsified. Set aside, and keep warm (the best way is in a thermos); do not allow to boil.
Bring a 3-quart pot of water seasoned with 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Have a large bowl of ice water ready. Add leeks to boiling water, cook 5 minutes until just tender, drain in a sieve and place sieve with leeks in ice water until leeks are cool. Drain, and transfer to a small sauté pan. Place over low heat to reheat. Add tomato, chives, diced carrot, turnip and leek greens. Stir in 1/3 cup emulsified butter. Season with salt and pepper, and cover to keep warm.
Place beet essence in a small saucepan. Whisk in 3 tablespoons emulsified butter, and cover to keep warm.
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place lobster pieces in single layer in a large saucepan or sauté pan. Add remaining emulsified butter. Lobster meat should be just about covered. Place pan over low heat, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, until meat is just heated through. Remove knuckle pieces, drain and fold into leek mixture.
While lobster cooks, place potatoes in oven 2 to 3 minutes to reheat.
To serve, place a spoonful of warm beet essence in center of each of 6 plates. Briefly reheat leek mixture, and spoon onto beet essence. Remove lobster tails and claws from butter mixture, draining well; place a tail piece and a claw on each plate, on top of leeks. Break potatoes in six pieces and place on top of the lobster. Serve.