"Pre-sauce" - Butter Poached Maine Lobster, Salsify, King Trumpet Mushrooms, White Truffle Cream
Aside from being delicious, Maine lobsters are a great choice for anyone concerned with sustainability. The lobster industry of Maine is highly regulated with a great deal of input coming from the fisherman themselves. No nets are allowed, a minimum size is required and egg-bearing females cannot be harvested. All of these regulations, among others, help to ensure that lobster stocks remain abundant and healthy. So you should feel good about eating Maine lobster.
I butter poached the lobster in a beurre monté held at 135 degrees for about 10 minutes. I served the tail and the claw, saving the rest of the meat for the sauce. The poached lobster pieces were strained right before serving.
The salsify was used in two preparations. The diced pieces were cooked sous vide in butter, 185 degress for 40 minutes. Cooking vegetables this way allows you to achieve the same texture throughout, as opposed to a crunchy interior with an overcooked exterior. The strips were fried at 270 degrees for 5 minutes. Salsify is also known as the "oyster plant" because many people believe that it has the same flavor. In my opinion, it tastes more like clams.
The king trumpets were marinated in olive oil and sherry vinegar and then pan roasted til slightly crisp. The truffle cream was made by blending white truffle oil, heavy cream and some agar agar to give it a light fluffy texture.
The sauce is a smoothly pureed lobster bisque. I made a lobster stock with the shells, chicken stock and clam juice. The reserved lobster meat, some of the salsify, onions and garlic, along with some herbs and spices were cooked in the stock. This whole mixture was pureed with butter and cream.
I butter poached the lobster in a beurre monté held at 135 degrees for about 10 minutes. I served the tail and the claw, saving the rest of the meat for the sauce. The poached lobster pieces were strained right before serving.
The salsify was used in two preparations. The diced pieces were cooked sous vide in butter, 185 degress for 40 minutes. Cooking vegetables this way allows you to achieve the same texture throughout, as opposed to a crunchy interior with an overcooked exterior. The strips were fried at 270 degrees for 5 minutes. Salsify is also known as the "oyster plant" because many people believe that it has the same flavor. In my opinion, it tastes more like clams.
The king trumpets were marinated in olive oil and sherry vinegar and then pan roasted til slightly crisp. The truffle cream was made by blending white truffle oil, heavy cream and some agar agar to give it a light fluffy texture.
The sauce is a smoothly pureed lobster bisque. I made a lobster stock with the shells, chicken stock and clam juice. The reserved lobster meat, some of the salsify, onions and garlic, along with some herbs and spices were cooked in the stock. This whole mixture was pureed with butter and cream.