Ingredients
- 2 poblano chiles (about 1/2 lb.)
- 6 T. unhulled sesame seeds (nutsonline.com)
- 3 T. chile seeds from any non-smoked, dried chile, such as ancho or pasilla
- 1 C. shelled unsalted roasted pistachios, loose skins removed
- 2 small fresh jalapeno chiles, coarsely chopped, including seeds
- 2 small garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus several handfuls for cooking the lobster
- 1/2 tsp. aniseed
- 3 1/2 C. chicken stock
- 2 T. mild olive or vegetable oil
- 3/4 C. loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves, plus 2 T. chopped tarragon for finishing
- 1 tsp. agave syrup, or more to taste
- 4 live lobsters
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Preparation
Step 1
1. Turn one or two stove top burners to high and roast poblano chiles on the racks of the burners (or directly on the element of an electric stove) turning frequently with tongs, until blistered and charred all over, 4 to 6 minutes. Put poblanos in a bowl and cover with a plate to sweat for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Rub off skin from poblanos with a paper towel or your fingers (do not put under water) then cut them open lengthwise. Cut out stems, seed pods, and veins. Lay chiles flat, wipe clean of seeds and tear into large pieces.
3. Heat a small, heavy skillet over medium heat and toast sesame seeds and chile seeds, constantly stirring and tossing, until they are fragrant and a shade darker, about 4 minutes.
4. Transfer poblanos and toasted seeds to a blender. Add pistachios, jalapeno chiles, garlic, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, aniseed and 2 C. chicken stock. Blend until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
5. Heat olive oil in a 3 to 4 qt. pot over medium heat, then add blended mixture. Let it come to a simmer (use a splatter screen) and cook stirring frequently until it has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
6. As it is simmering, swish a little stock or water in the blender to loosen any sauce left at the bottom and pour into the pot.
7. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer the sauce uncovered, stirring frequently, until small pools of oil appear on the surface, about 45 minutes. As the sauce simmers, add more stock as necessary to maintain a velvety consistency that thickly coats a wooden spoon but isn't gloppy.
8. Scoop about 1 C. of sauce back into blender, add 3/4 C. tarragon, and blend until smooth. Return mixture to the sauce in the pot, stir in agave syrup (sauce should be just barely sweet) and cook for 5 minutes more. Season with additional salt to taste.
9. Cover pot with a lid to keep warm as you cook the lobster.
10. To cook lobster: Bring an 8 to 10 qt. pot of lwater to a boil over high heat. Add a few big handfuls of kosher salt. Submerge 2 lobsters head first, cover pot and cook for 7 minutes. Use tongs to transfer lobsters to the sink to drain, then submerge remaining lobsters and cook, covered, for 7 minutes.
11. When lobsters are just cool enough to handle, use your hands, a heavy knife or kitchen shears to remove the meat from the tails, claws and joints.
12. Slice tail into bite size pieces and leave claws intact. Spoon about 3/4 C. mole onto four warm plates, add lobster to the center of each plate and sprinkle with chopped tarragon. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze on top.