From DN Recipes by David Nagy · Food & Beverage

Pan-Roasted Lobster with Chive Beurre Blanc

Published

Pan-Roasted Lobster with Chive Beurre Blanc
Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins  Yield: 4

Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 (1 1/2-pound) live Maine lobsters
  • 2 cups cold unsalted butter (16 ounces), cubed, divided
  • 1 cup finely chopped shallots (about 6 shallots)
  • 1 (750-milliliter) bottle unoaked dry white wine (such as Muscadet)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons (1 ounces) high-proof bourbon (such as Old Grand-Dad 100 Proof) (optional)
  • 1/2 pound linguine or fettuccine, cooked according to package directions
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh chives
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons water

Directions
  1. Arrange lobster tail halves, cut sides down, and claws on buttered baking sheet. Chill lobsters in refrigerator until ready to cook, up to 2 hours. 
  2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Melt 2 tablespoons cubed butter in a large saucepan over medium. Add shallots, and cook, stirring often, until shallots are translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in wine, and bring to a rapid boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-high, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain a vigorous simmer; cook until wine is reduced to just below top of shallots, 30 to 35 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and cook, whisking in remaining cubed butter, a few cubes at a time, until sauce is creamy and thickened. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and salt, and cover. Set beurre blanc in a warm spot until ready to use, up to 30 minutes.
  3. Transfer lobsters to preheated oven, and roast 5 minutes. Carefully remove from oven, and use tongs to flip lobster tails cut sides up. Return to oven, and roast until lobster shells are bright red and meat is opaque and plump, 3 to 5 minutes. Working quickly, transfer baking sheet to stovetop. If desired, drizzle lobsters with bourbon, and carefully ignite the vapor with a long match or long multipurpose lighter. Let stand until flames disappear. Line a warmed platter with hot cooked linguine; using tongs, place lobsters on pasta. Tent platter with aluminum foil.
  4. Pour liquid drippings from baking sheet into a large skillet over medium; discard white albumen on baking sheet. Add reserved roe to skillet, and cook, whisking constantly, until roe begins to turn bright red and is the texture of soft scrambled eggs, about 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat, and whisk in beurre blanc and chives. If sauce is very thick, whisk in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach desired consistency. Season with salt to taste. Remove and discard foil from lobsters, and pour beurre blanc over lobsters and pasta. Serve immediately.