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

Name: Butter-Poached Lobster With Leeks, Pommes Maxim And Red-Beet Essence
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound unsalted butter at room temperature, in pieces; Salt and pepper; 1 ½ cups thinly sliced leek rounds; ¼ 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)

Recipe from Thomas Keller

Adapted by Florence Fabricant

Published April 9, 2002

Total Time: 2 hours
Rating: 4(24)
Comments: Read comments

—Florence Fabricant

Featured in: A Chef Invents a Lobster Dish, And Pots Start Boiling All Over

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

1 pound unsalted butter at room temperature, in pieces
Salt and pepper
1 ½ cups thinly sliced leek rounds
¼ 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)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
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.
Step 2
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 ⅓ cup emulsified butter. Season with salt and pepper, and cover to keep warm.
Step 3
Place beet essence in a small saucepan. Whisk in 3 tablespoons emulsified butter, and cover to keep warm.
Step 4
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.
Step 5
While lobster cooks, place potatoes in oven 2 to 3 minutes to reheat.
Step 6
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.