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Lobster and Sauce Ingredients:
1 pound lobster
1 carrot, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 rib celery, diced
½ leek, white part only
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup white wine
3 tablespoons Cognac
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups fish stock or clam juice
1 teaspoon tomato paste
dash cayenne pepper
tarragon sprig
fresh thyme sprig
chopped parsley for garnish
Roux Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
6 tablespoon coral (lobster roe)
Roux Directions:
In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour and add coral (see below). Keep aside to thicken sauce.
Lobster and Sauce Directions:
Cut lobster in half, crack the claws of the lobster, and reserve coral for the roux. Reserve the head and pieces of shell, and set meat aside for garnish.
In a skillet over medium-low heat, sauté half lobster, claws, and shells until a nice red color. Then sauté the carrots, onions, garlic, celery, and leeks in oil until vegetables are tender.
Add tomato paste and fresh tomatoes. Stir in Cognac and white wine; add thyme and tarragon and season with salt and cayenne pepper.
Deglaze skillet with crustacean stock or clam juice. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove lobster tail and claw. Keep on the side.
Cook liquid down by bringing it to a rolling boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and continue to cook for twenty minutes.
Strain and discard shells and vegetables. Thicken soup with the roux and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
Add cayenne and salt to taste; simmer for five minutes then strain. Add lobster tail and claw and simmer for five minutes.
Plate the lobster and sauce, garnishing with rice pilaf, tarragon, and parsley.
TIP: Lobster and crustaceans, especially females, have a creamy coral, a bright reddish roe that should be used to flavor and thicken your lobster sauce.