Poached Lobster with Sweet Corn & Clams
Summer has a way of disappearing before we realize it, and this Lobster Picnic dinner party is our small attempt to slow it down.
In summer, coastal waters warm and lobsters begin to molt by taking in more seawater to expand their shells, resulting in sweet, tender meat with shells that are easier to crack.
Paired with clams and sweet corn coming into its peak, this is the moment to invite your friends for a lobster picnic. Whether you gather outdoors or picnic inside, we hope this dinner captures the feeling of midsummer at its very best.
Poached Lobster
serves 4
Ingredients
6 grams bay leaves
75 grams mustard seeds
35 grams coriander
15 grams allspice
5 grams cloves
1 gram red chili flake
1 gallon water
1 quart white wine
3 lemons, cut in half
kosher salt, to taste
4 chick lobsters
Equipment
large pot
ice bath
kitchen shears
Preparation
Toast all the spices.
Place the spices and bay leaves in a cheesecloth tied with butchers' twine to make a sachet.
In a large pot, combine the water, white wine, lemons, and the sachet.
Season the water heavily with salt and bring it to a boil. (It should taste as salty as the sea.)
Drop in the whole lobsters. Poach for 10 minutes then immediately shock in a heavily iced water bath.
Once the lobster is cold, take it out of the ice bath. If you leave the lobster in the ice bath too long, you'll dilute the flavor and lose the firm texture of the meat.
Clean the lobster by flipping it onto its back and flatten out the tail. Using a sharp knife, cut the lobster in half from the head to the tail.
Clean out the tamale and the brains. Gently rinse the head under running water.
For the claws, take off the rubber band. Rip off the "thumbs” or the smaller part of the claw and discard both the shell and the meat.
Using a scissors, make two 2-inch cuts up the shell of the bigger side of the claw from the missing joint and cut across to make a rectangle - this helps expose the claw meat so guests don’t need to struggle with a lobster cracker.
Arrange the lobster halves on a platter or plates. Spoon the sweet corn ragú over the lobster meat (recipe below).
Questions about the recipes? Email britt@parisdiningclub.com
Sweet Corn Ragu with Clams
serves 4
Ingredients
2 pounds clams
6 tbsp butter, divided
6 garlic cloves, minced, divided
4 oz white wine
5-6 ears of corn, shucked
2 shallots, minced
1-2 tbsp cold butter, cubed
1 bunch chives, sliced
1-2 lemons
espelette, cayenne, or hot paprika to taste
salt and black pepper to taste
Equipment
mixing bowl
medium sized pot
Preparation
Purge the clams by letting them stand in cold, salted water. Every 30 minutes, change out the water and repeat until there's no more sand or grit at the bottom of the bowl. Discard any clams that are open and don't close when prodded or tapped.
Place a medium sized pot over medium-low heat and add 2 tbsp of butter and half of the minced garlic. Cook until garlic starts to turn golden.
Add the white wine and clams. Cover, and increase the heat. Allow the clams to steam open, checking every 30-40 seconds. Transfer the open clams to a bowl as they open. Allow the clams to keep steaming until they’ve all opened. Reserve the clams and the liqueur.
Meanwhile, remove the corn from the cob.
In a separate sauce pan over medium heat, add 3 tbsp butter. Once the butter is melted, add the minced shallot. Cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add the rest of the minced garlic and cook until aromatic.
Add the shucked corn, and saute until the corn is just tender.
Deglaze the corn with the clam liqueur and bring to a simmer. Add the opened clams and fold them in to gently rewarm. Add a few knobs of cold butter to glaze and remove from the heat.
Finish the corn with a hearty squeeze of lemon, sliced chives, espelette, and salt and pepper.
Top the poached lobster halves with the warm sweet corn ragù and serve with more lemons on the side.