Lobster in Artichoke Hearts

By kathryns

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from blogs.kqed.org

Preparation

Step 1

Lobster and artichokes are two of my favorite foods, and I combine them in this elegant starter. Whole lobsters are messy to eat and much of the meat is wasted because many people don’t know how to remove it from the shells, so I cook the lobsters and extract the meat. Then I serve it in tender artichoke hearts with a light sauce made from the lobster stock.

Bring the 8 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add the lobsters and bring the water back to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer the lobsters gently for 5 minutes. Leave them in the cooling liquid for 10 minutes off the heat, then lift them from the liquid and set them aside until cool enough to handle; set the pot aside.

Put the shells back in the pot with the cooking liquid, bring to a boil, and boil, covered, for 30 minutes. Strain the stock. (You will have about 7 cups.) Set 1 cup of stock aside in a small saucepan for the sauce and freeze the remainder for use in a bisque or for making a soup with pasta.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Put the artichoke hearts in a saucepan, add 1 cup water, the oil, lemon juice, and salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and boil the artichokes gently for about 20 minutes, until they are tender and most of the cooking liquid has evaporated. Let cool.

At serving time, reheat the artichoke hearts for about 1 minute in a microwave oven, or for 10 minutes in a 200-degree oven; set aside in a warm spot. Put the red coral roe if you have it, in an ovenproof dish and heat it for 5 minutes in the oven to dry it. Coarsely chop the coral.

Just before serving, reheat the lobster meat for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave oven or for 8 to 10 minutes in a 200-degree oven.

Meanwhile, bring the cup of reserved stock to a boil and boil until it is reduced to 1/2 cup. Add the butter, chives, and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a strong boil.

Place an artichoke heart on each of four plates and arrange the meat of half a lobster tail in the cavity of each, with a piece of claw meat alongside. Spoon the sauce on top, sprinkle with the roe, and serve.