Maine Lobster, with Grilled Matsutaki
Mushrooms, and Buckwheat Jus
By Executive Chef Gary Roth, Los Altos Country Club, Los Altos, CA

Made with:
CulinArte Veal Demi Glace

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
4 (1.5 lbs.) Live Maine Lobster
12 Large Artichokes
3 Lemons
12 Matsutake Mushrooms (cleaned and halved)
12 Slices of Prosciutto
1/2 lb. Lobster Mushrooms (cleaned and diced)
2 tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
TT Salt and White Ground Pepper
8 Woody Rosemary Skewers (partially stripped of leaves)
Artichoke Leaves
Nastursiam Flowers
Pumpkin Vine Tendrils

For the Lobster Procedure:
Plunge the lobsters into boiling salted water and cook at a rapid boil for 8 minutes. Cool in ice bath. Remove tail meat, claw meat, and knuckle meat. Dice knuckle meat and set aside. Reserve antennae for garnish

For the Matsutake Mushrooms Procedure:
Clean mushrooms with a damp brush or towel. Trim mushroom stem of dirt particles with a pairing knife. Cut in half and wrap stem with a one inch wide strip of prosciutto. Skewer three mushroom halves on the rosemary branch. Wrap the green leaves of rosemary with aluminum foil to prevent scorching. Brush the mushrooms with Olive Oil. Salt them lightly. Grill over charcoal (if possible) with slow heat until the mushrooms are just cooked through. Keep warm for plating.

For the Artichokes Procedure:
Deeply trim artichokes down to a light green layer in an effort to form a flat disk shaped artichoke heart. Rub with a half cut lemon. Bring one gallon of salted water to a boil. Add the juice of 3 lemons and the lemon itself. Add the artichokes and cook until tender. Scoop out the insides and discard.

The Sauces For the Buckwheat Jus Ingredients:
1/2 Onion (diced)
1 tbls. Butter
3/4 cup Toasted Buckwheat Groats
4 oz. CulinArte Veal Demi Glace
2 cups Water
TT Salt and Black Pepper

Procedure:
Lightly brown onions in butter. Add buckwheat and heat through. Add CulinArte Veal Demi Glace and water. Cook until vegetables are tender. Puree in blender. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Adjust viscosity to thick sauce. Dilute sauce consistency with water if necessary. Put remainder is a small cup for final assembly.

For the Cranberry Coulis Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Fresh Cranberries
1 Fresh Ginger (small knob, peeled and sliced)
1 1/2 cups Orange Juice
1/4 cup Sugar
2 tbls. Corn Syrup or Honey

Procedure:
Cook all the ingredients slowly for fifteen minutes. Remove the slices of ginger. Puree. Strain.

For the Lobster Oil Ingredients:
(prepare one day ahead. Takes 24 hrs.)
1 1/2 lbs. Lobster Heads (raw)
1 Onion (peeled and diced)
1 Carrot (peeled and diced)
1 Stalk Celery (diced)
2 Garlic Cloves (smashed)
1/2 Bottle White Wine
1/2 cup Cognac
6 oz. Tomato Paste
1 tbls. Paprika
1/2 bunch Tarragon
1/2 bunch Rosemary
4 cups Canola Oil or Grape Seed Oil

Procedure:
In a large pot, smash lobster heads with a wooden mallet. Add 1 cup oil and sauté until completely red for fifteen minutes. Add vegetables and sauté 15 minutes more. Add Cognac and flame. Add wine, tomato paste, herbs and paprika and simmer for 15 minutes. Add remaining oil and slowly heat through stirring occasionally for 20 minutes more. Let pot cool overnight in the refrigerator. Strain through a coarse strainer to remove solids. Strain again in wire mesh strainer. Let settle overnight. Remove the oil on top using a ladle. Discard sediments.

To Assemble:
Warm lobster tail claws and artichoke hearts in butter. Streak plate with buck wheat puree, cranberry coulis and lobster oil. Place lobster tail on artichoke bottom to the left side of the plate and a small cup of sauce to the right side. Use the mushroom brochettes as a bridge between them. Garnish with lobster antenna, artichoke leaves, natursian flowers and pumpkin vine tendrils.

More Chef Recipes:
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Apples and Ginger with a Sherry Syrup

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Coffee Poached Pears, Mascarpone Truffle Gelato,
and Black Tea Crème Anglaise

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Fried Cauliflower Mushrooms and Lamb Demi Glace

Cumin Crusted Lamb Loin with Coriander Basmati Rice

Lundberg Family Farms Lobster Mushroom Risotto with Fresh Pumpkin

Lobster Paella

Maine Lobster, with Grilled Matsutaki Mushrooms, and Buckwheat Jus

Porcini Tart with Goat Cheese and an Arugula Salad

Spinach Tortellini with Castelfranco and Gorgonzola

Veal Fillet with Organic Wild Rice, Baby Vegetables and Morel Mushroom Jus

Venison Carpaccio with Sautéed Foie Gras,
Chanterelles, Caramelized Figs and Port Demi Glace

Wild Mushroom Cappuccino

Other Related Links:
Cooking with Wild Mushrooms

The Secret's in the Rice

Executive Chef Gary Roth - Bio