Butter-Poached Lobster Rolls with Celery Fennel Slaw

  5.0 – 2 reviews  • Shellfish Recipes
Level: Intermediate
Total: 1 hr 30 min
Active: 1 hr 5 min
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

  1. Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  2. Three 1 1/2- to 2-pound live Maine lobsters
  3. 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
  4. 1 white onion, thinly sliced
  5. 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  6. 2 fresh bay leaves
  7. 1 cup vermouth
  8. 1 cup heavy cream
  9. 1 pound unsalted butter, cubed, plus 2 tablespoons for toasting buns
  10. 1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
  11. 1 cup red wine vinegar
  12. 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  13. 1 head celery
  14. 1 head fennel, fronds reserved
  15. 1 ounce mustard oil
  16. 6 top-sliced hot dog buns

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Remove the claws and tails from the lobsters. Boil the tails for 1 minute and the claws for 4 minutes, then remove from the water. Immediately remove the meat from the shells and set aside.
  3. Add the oil to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add and sweat the onions, garlic and bay leaves until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Carefully add the vermouth and reduce until dry, about 2 minutes. Add the cream, then reduce by two-thirds, until thick. Slowly whisk in the pound of butter little by little until fully emulsified. Add the lobster tail and claw meat to the butter cream sauce and poach over low heat at 165 degrees F until cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the lobster from the pan and allow to cool just to the touch. Rough chop and set aside.
  4. Add the mustard seeds, vinegar, sugar and 1 tablespoon kosher salt to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, separate the celery into stalks. Using a Japanese mandoline, slice the celery into paper-thin strips. Cut the fennel bulb into quarters. Using the Japanese mandoline, slice the fennel bulb paper thin.
  5. In a medium bowl, toss the celery slices, fennel slices, mustard oil and 2 tablespoons pickled mustard seeds. Taste and adjust as desired with more mustard seeds. Keep cool until ready to serve.
  6. In a 12-inch cast-iron pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and griddle the buns, top side-down, over medium-high heat until golden brown.
  7. Open the buns and fill with spoonfuls of the lobster mixture. Top with a handful of the slaw and garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 6 servings
Calories 1070
Total Fat 93 g
Saturated Fat 52 g
Carbohydrates 34 g
Dietary Fiber 4 g
Sugar 9 g
Protein 20 g
Cholesterol 322 mg
Sodium 977 mg

Reviews

Jennifer Davis
The pickled slaw with the plumped up mustard seeds is fantastic! It’s even better day two; we would never have thought to do anything this simple to do yet complex in flavor if we hadn’t watched this show. I love a nice pickled red onion, but this is another level and going into the rotation!!!!!

 

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