LOBSTER NEWBURG

LOBSTER NEWBURG image

Yield 6 people

Number Of Ingredients 9

three 1 1/2 pound lobsters
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon medium-dry sherry
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon brandy
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
cayenne to taste
4 large egg yolks, beaten well
Toast points as an accompaniment

Steps:

Into a large kettle of boiling salted water plunge the lobsters, head first, and boil them, covered for 8 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil. Transfer the lobsters with tongs to a cutting board and let them cool until they can be handled. Break off the claws at the body and crack them. Remove the claw meat and cut it into 1/2 inch pieces. Halve the lobsters lengthwise along the undersides, remove the meat from the tails, discarding the bodies, and cut into 1/2 inches. In a heavy saucepan cook the lobster in the butter over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, add 2 tablespoons of the sherry and 3 tablespoons of the brandy, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 2 minutes. Transfer the lobster meat with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add the cream to the sherry mixture and boil the mixture until it is reduced to about 1 cup. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon sherry, the remaining 1 teaspoon brandy, the nutmeg, the cayenne, and salt to taste. Whisk in the yolks, cook the mixture,whisking constantly, until it registers 170degF on a deep fat thermometer, and cook it, whisking, for 3 minutes more. Stir in the lobster meat and serve the lobster newburg over the toast points.