National Lobster Newburg day on March 25 ushers in a celebration worthy of a sea captain. Delmonico’s of New York debuted Lobster Newburg in 1876.
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Lobster Newburg
This recipe is a rich, elegant and simple dish. Fresh lobster is best but frozen can be substituted. (I prefer not to use canned lobster but if you do you will need two, six ounce cans.) If you are using fresh lobster, boil it first and set aside until you are ready to add it to the cream sauce. If using frozen lobster, make sure lobster is dried to remove excess moisture.
Ingredients: 5 tbsp butter 2 tbsp flour 2 cups half and half 5 large egg yolks lightly beaten 1 lb cooked (or frozen) lobster meat cut into bite sized pieces 3 tbsp cognac (sherry, brandy or madeira can be substituted for cognac) 1 lemon juice and zest 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Instructions:
Bake the puff pastry shells according to package instructions or toast bread then cut into triangles. Set aside. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes to make a golden brown roux. Slowly whisk in the half and half cooking until slightly thickened. Do not boil. Add a few tablespoons of the cream mixture to the lightly beaten egg yolks and whisk to temper the eggs. Tempering is the simple process of slowing diluting the eggs with a few tablespoons of the hot cream mixture before adding into the skillet with the remaining cream mixture. This is an important process. Do not stop stirring or the eggs on the bottom will begin to scramble. The tempering process will ensure the sauce is smooth without egg lumps. Slowly whisk the egg mixture into the cream and turn the heat to low. Continue stirring until smooth and creamy. Stir in the lobster, cognac (or sherry, brandy or madeira) lemon juice, zest, nutmeg and salt. Serve the lobster newburg in the puff pastry shells or on top of the toast points. Garnish with parsley, if desired. You can also add a sprinkle of paprika on top, if desired. Buon Appetito!
1/4 tsp kosher salt 4 frozen puff pastry shells or toast points (I prefer pastry puffs for a more elegant appearance) Fresh parsley, for garnish
Compliments of JoAnn Marianelli Finnerty, Bella Faccias
