POACHED LOBSTER TAILS

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

Preheat a sous vide bath to 132.8°F.*

Insert a skewer into each lobster tail (to prevent curling while cooking) and place in a vacuum-sealed Cryovac bag along with 2 ounces of butter and salt, to taste. Place sealed bag into the sous vide bath and allow to cook for 25 minutes. Remove the lobster tails from the sous vide, remove the skewers and place the lobster in a bowl with the remaining butter, which has been melted.

*If you do not have a sous vide machine, gently poach the lobster using your preferred method (either in water or butter), skewering the tails and being careful not to overcook.

SAFFRON TUILLE “CORAL”

Place the water and saffron threads into a small pot and heat gently on the stovetop until the saffron has dissolved. Cool to room temperature, then mix the saffron water with the oil and flour. Pour enough of the batter into a 4- to 5-inch nonstick saute pan to thinly cover the bottom of the pan. Place the pan over medium-high heat. Once the batter dries and stops bubbling, use an offset spatula to remove the tuille from the pan and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb the excess oil. Repeat to make a total of 4 tuilles. Reserve.

EDAMAME “GUAC” STUFFED SWEET ONION PETALS

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place halved onions into a baking dish along with bay leaf, peppercorn, salt and enough chicken stock to cover the onions halfway. Cover dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven and allow to braise for approximately an hour.

In the meantime, make the edamame “guac.”

Using a mortar and pestle, grind the blanched edamame beans with olive oil, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Add the lemon juice a bit at the time to adjust the consistency—it should be thick enough to stuff the onion petals without running. Taste and adjust for salt; reserve.

Periodically check the onions and remove from the oven when they are tender when a knife is inserted, about an hour depending on size. Leave the onions in the pan to continue to absorb the braising liquid until they reach room temperature.

Gently separate the onion layers. Fill each onion piece with a tablespoon of the edamame “guac,” then roll both sides of the onion under and together to form a “petal.” Reserve in the warm onion braising liquid until ready to use.

EDAMAME RAGU

Place edamame, leeks, radishes, stock and butter into a saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook, moving the pan in a circular motion to emulsify the liquid, until it has thickened to a ragu-like consistency and the edamame, leeks and radishes have all softened. Finish with the lemon juice, chopped herbs and salt, to taste.

LOBSTER DEMI-GLACE

Place the roasted lobster bodies, mirepoix and bay leaf in a saucepot, then cover with chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour, then strain the solids from the lobster stock and return the liquid to the pot. Add the orange zest and juice and the tomato paste and continue to cook for an additional hour, until the liquid has been reduced to the consistency of a thick sauce.

TO PLATE

Place 1 lobster tail on each of 4 serving plates. Spoon a serving of Edamame Ragu alongside the lobster, and top with 2 stuffed onion petals. Drizzle the entire dish with Lobster Demi-Glace. Top with 1 Saffron Tuille. Serve warm.