The first time I was blown away by the artistry of flavor combinations was as a young cook working for the great David Bouley. I was so confused by the infusion of vanilla into butter to poach lobster until I snuck a piece for myself. I was in awe. This dish is an ode to that mastery, paired with a saffron and fennel fregola to add to the wild but balanced flavor combination.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 10 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 10 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- Four 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-pound live Maine lobsters
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
- 2 heads fennel, 1 diced, 1 thinly sliced, fronds reserved for garnish
- 2 onions, 1 diced, 1 thinly sliced
- 2 pinches saffron
- 1 1/2 cups fregola
- 1/2 cup anise liqueur, such as Pernod
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, diced
Instructions
- Separate the claws and tails from the lobsters, reserving the lobster heads for later. In a large pot of salted water, boil the tails for 1 minute and the claws for 6 minutes. Remove from the water and separate the meat from the shells. Split the tails in half lengthwise and chop the claw meat. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large, high-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced fennel, diced onions and saffron, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the fregola and gently toast for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the anise liqueur, scraping up any bits of fregola that stuck to the bottom of the pan, and reduce until no liquid remains. Add water 1/4 cup at a time until the fregola is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and pour onto a large platter.
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the sliced onion with the vanilla pods and seeds until the onions are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the cream and reduce by two-thirds, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, spoon out the innards of the lobster heads and add to the cream. Add the butter to the pan, stirring and swirling the pan in circular motions until a thick, buttery sauce is formed. Remove the pan from the heat to cool before adding the lobster meat, a few minutes. Gently poach the lobster in the vanilla butter until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Top the fregola platter with the thinly shaved fennel and poached lobster and serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 508 |
| Total Fat | 30 g |
| Saturated Fat | 17 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Cholesterol | 165 mg |
| Sodium | 587 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 508 |
| Total Fat | 30 g |
| Saturated Fat | 17 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Cholesterol | 165 mg |
| Sodium | 587 mg |