Entree: Saint Martin (French part) – Langouste à la Vanille (Spiny lobster poached and finished in a rich vanilla-scented butter and cream sauce)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 40 min

Cook 30 min

Additional 15 min

Total 1 hr 25 min

Ingredients

- 2 whole spiny lobsters, about 1.5 lb (680 g) each
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
- 1 cup (240 ml) shellfish or fish stock
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
- 2 shallots, finely minced (about 2 oz/60 g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) dark rum or cognac
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 4 sprigs thyme)
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare the lobsters: bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the lobsters and cook 5 minutes until shells turn bright; remove and let cool until manageable. Reserve cooking liquid. Split lobsters lengthwise, remove tomalley if desired, reserve meat from tails and claws, and reserve shells for stock.
2. Make quick shell stock: heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add reserved shells and sauté 3–4 minutes. Deglaze with white wine, reduce slightly, then add 1 cup (240 ml) shellfish/fish stock and 1 cup (240 ml) reserved lobster cooking water if available. Simmer 10 minutes, then strain and return liquid to saucepan.
3. Start the sauce: add the vanilla bean pod and scraped seeds to the strained stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce by about one-third to concentrate flavor, 6–8 minutes. Remove and discard the vanilla pod.
4. Finish the sauce: reduce heat to low and whisk in 2 tbsp (30 g) cold butter, one piece at a time, to emulsify. Stir in heavy cream 1/2 cup (120 ml) and continue to simmer gently until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Add lemon juice, thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm on very low heat.
5. Sear lobster meat: heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil and 2 tbsp (30 g) butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Pat lobster meat dry, season lightly, and sear tails and claw meat 1–2 minutes per side just to color and warm through; do not overcook.
6. Aromatics and deglaze: in a separate small pan, melt 1 tbsp (15 g) butter over medium, sauté shallots and garlic until translucent but not brown, 2–3 minutes. Add rum or cognac and flambé or ignite briefly to burn off alcohol, then stir this into the vanilla cream sauce.
7. Combine and finish: add seared lobster meat to the vanilla cream sauce to coat and warm for 1 minute. Adjust seasoning. Stir in chopped parsley just before serving.
8. Serve: arrange lobster halves or tails on warmed plates and spoon the vanilla butter sauce over them. Garnish with additional thyme sprigs and serve with crusty bread or rice to soak up the sauce.