Lobster and Le Gruyère AOP gratin with sauce Americane
Ingredients
Lobster gratin
- 3 lobsters , weighing 600-800g each (live)
Le Gruyère AOP sauce
- 40g of butter
- 40g of plain flour
- 500g of whole milk, warmed in a pan
- 120g of Gruyère , finely grated, plus a little extra for finishing the lobster
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 1 pinch of grated nutmeg
- 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
- salt , to taste
Sauce Americane
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 1 stick of celery , finely chopped
- 1 carrot , finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves , finely sliced
- 1 fennel , finely chopped
- 1 leek , finely chopped
- 6 sprigs of tarragon
- 2 tbsp of tomato purée
- 100ml of brandy
- 100ml of white wine
- 100ml of white port
- 1l fish stock
- 200g of double cream
- 8 tomatoes , grilled and peeled
To serve
- salad leaves, dressed
Method
1
Preheat an oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
2
Start by humanely killing the lobsters. Put the lobsters in the freezer for 30 minutes to render them insensate, then place a large chef's knife through the head of the lobster
- 3 lobsters , weighing 600-800g each (live)
3
Remove the claws and place into simmering salted water for 6 minutes, then remove and allow to cool
4
Place the lobster tails (with the head attached) into the water and cook for 2 minutes, then take out and leave to cool
5
Once cool, Split the lobsters lengthways and set 6 shell halves aside for presentation (reserving the other shells for the sauce). Remove the meat from the shells and chop the flesh into chunks
6
Place the heads and shells for the sauce on a tray and roast in the preheated oven for 40 minutes
7
As the shells roast, place the onions, celery, carrot, garlic, fennel, leek and tarragon in a pan with a splash of oil and cook until heavily caramelised
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 1 stick of celery , finely chopped
- 1 carrot , finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves , finely sliced
- 6 sprigs of tarragon
- 1 fennel , finely chopped
- 1 leek , finely chopped
8
When the shells are ready, add them to the pan and bash with the end of a rolling pin to extract as much flavour from the heads as possible
9
Add the tomato purée and let it catch on the bottom of the pan before deglazing with the brandy, wine and port
- 2 tbsp of tomato purée
- 100ml of brandy
- 100ml of white wine
- 100ml of white port
10
Cook down until you have a syrupy consistency, then add the fish stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 hours, skimming the top regularly
- 1l fish stock
11
After this time, pass through a fine sieve, then pour into a clean pan and reduce again by half. Add the double cream and reduce by half again
- 200g of double cream
13
Mix the chopped lobster with the sauce and spoon into the reserved presentation shells
14
To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a pan and then add the flour. Cook on a low heat, constantly stirring for 5 minutes
- 40g of butter
- 40g of plain flour
15
Slowly pour in the warmed milk bit by bit, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Once the milk is completely incorporated and smooth, stir in the cheese, yolks, mustard, nutmeg and cayenne. Taste and season with salt
- 500g of whole milk, warmed in a pan
- 120g of Gruyère , Finely grated (Plus extra for finishing the lobster)
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 1 pinch of grated nutmeg
- 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
16
Spoon the cheese sauce on top of the lobster and finish with more grated Gruyère
17
Place under a hot grill for 5-8 minutes until deeply golden. Serve up with a side salad
- salad leaves, dressed
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Lobster and Le Gruyère AOP gratin with sauce Americane
