American Lobster

American Lobster with Parmesan Griddle Cakes,

Soybean Succotash and Black Truffle - Ver Jus Sauce

* Gold Medal Winning Recipe * - Midwest Food Expo March 2003

Serves Four

Parmesan Griddle Cakes

1/2 cup	White Grits, instant
2 cups	Water
1/2 tsp.	Salt
1/4 cup	Parmesan Cheese
2	Egg Yolks
1 Tbs.	Chive, emincer

Directions

Bring water to a boil; slowly add grits and salt stirring constantly until mixture boils. Cover and simmer 2-3 minutes remove from heat and let stand until liquid is absorbed. Stir in Parmesan, chive then egg yolks stirring until slightly thickened. Transfer mixture to a piping bag and pipe out 8-2 ½ inch round cakes onto a papered sheet pan and chill to set cakes. Prepare griddle or sauté pan and brown cakes on both sides just before serving.

Maine Lobster

2	2-lb Live Maine Lobsters
1 cup	Mirepoix
2 oz.	Olive Oil
2 oz.	Brandy
4 oz.	White Wine
16 oz.	Fumet
8 oz.	Unsalted Butter
4	Bay Leaves
1/2 tsp.	Salt
1 tsp.	Peppercorns

Directions

Kill lobster. Remove tail and skewer to keep straight during cooking. Pull off arms with claws attached, split body and discard the stomach. Remove the tomalley as well, not needed for this recipe, and reserve the remaining carcass for stock. Sauté skewered tails, arms claws and mirepoix in large pan with olive oil until pieces turn orange. Flame with brandy add white wine and fumet, simmer covered for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove lobster parts from pan. Remove meat from tail, arms and claws, and keep warm. Heat butter with salt, peppercorns and bay leaves in a small sauté pan to 200 degrees Ferinhite. Just before serving add Lobster meat and poach until tail portions reach 145 degrees, approx.5 to 7 minutes.

Soybean Succotash

1 ear	Sweet Corn, par-boil and remove kernels
1/2 cup	Edamame, par-boil, shell and reserve seeds
1/4 cup	Red Pepper, fine dice
1/4 cup	Red Onion, fine dice
1 Tbs.	Olive Oil
2 oz.	Chicken Stock
1/2 tsp.	Salt

Directions

Par-boil corn kernels and edamame pods refresh and reserve. Sweat red pepper and onion in olive oil until softened. Add chicken stock, salt and reserved vegetables, cook over low heat until liquid has absorbed. Warm through and adjust seasoning just before serving.

Note: Add Asparagus spears, peeled and parboiled for extra flavor and shape.

Truffle Ver Jus Sauce

8 oz.	Ver Jus
1 Tbs.	Black Truffle, peel, small dice
1 sm.	Shallot, minced
6 sm.	Peppercorns
3 oz.	Lobster Stock
1/2 tsp.	Salt
6 oz.	Unsalted Butter, diced

Directions

Reduce Ver Jus and lobster stock with truffle peelings, shallot and peppercorns, to 2 ounces add salt and strain into mixing bowl. Add diced truffles, and slowly whip butter into the reduction, keeping the mixture warm during butter incorporation and until ready to serve. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Plating

Place one griddlecake in the center of hot plate top cake with 2ounces of succotash and top with a second cake. Slice lobster tails and arrange on top of second cake with one claw and arm meat. Spoon sauce on top of lobster and around the plate. Garnish with fresh chive and leftover truffles.

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