Luscious butter poached lobster served on toast is a mouthwatering dish inspired by the Lobster Quadrille from Alice in Wonderland.
A Culinary Adventure in Wonderland
Alice’s adventures in Wonderland begin in pursuit of the White Rabbit and down the rabbit hole. From there, she savours and samples various foods in Wonderland, while simultaneously growing and shrinking with each new treat.
In honour of Lewis Carroll’s whimsical and non-sensical story, let us journey to Wonderland for a culinary adventure and a delightful feast. Together, we will explore the cakes Alice tasted, both sweet and savoury, the intriguing mushroom of the Caterpillar’s forest home, the mysterious stolen tarts of the King and Queen of Hearts, and more! So let’s begin.
The Lobster Quadrille
Arriving at the sea, Alice is introduced to the whimsical lobster quadrille by the Mock Turtle. This charming dance along the seashore features a variety of sea creatures all paired off with their very own lobster. Alice is enchanted with this dance and is quick to hide the fact that her only interaction with lobsters has been on her dinner plate!
Lobster tails gently poached in a luscious butter sauce called a beurre monté is the perfect way to eat this delicate shellfish. The lobster toast is then topped with a generous spoonful of this herb-scented beurre monté.
"You may not have lived much under the sea–" ("I haven't," said Alice)– "and perhaps you were never even introduced to a lobster–" (Alice began to say "I once tasted–" but checked herself hastily, and said "No, never") "–so you can have no idea what a delightful thing a Lobster Quadrille is!"
-Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Chapter 10: The Lobster Quadrille)
Beurre Monté
To poach the lobster, we will use a beurre monté. A beurre monté is an emulsion of butter and another liquid, such as white wine. It is made by whisking a large amount of cold butter into a hot liquid such as the wine. This luxurious emulsified butter sauce imparts a delicate flavour as it gently poaches the lobster meat and is delicious spooned over crusty bread.
Ingredients
Lobster tails: Frozen lobster tails are by far the easiest way to make this recipe. After thawing, the meat is removed from the shell for poaching. The shells are also used to flavour the wine in the beurre monté.
Unsalted butter: Since the beurre monté is largely made up of butter, I recommend using unsalted. By using unsalted butter and adding salt later you will be able to control the amount of salt in this recipe.
White wine: Choose a light wine such as sauvignon blanc or pinto gris. To make this recipe alcohol-free, substitute with water.
Fresh tarragon: Sprigs of fresh tarragon add a subtle anise flavour to the beurre monté. If you don’t have fresh tarragon, substitute with 1 tsp dried. Alternatively, leave the tarragon out and garnish with just the fresh chives.
How to Make Butter Poached Lobster
Prepare the lobster
Use a pair of sharp kitchen shears to cut down the middle of the lobster shell. Pry the sides of the shell away from the lobster meat inside. Loosen and then remove the lobster tail meat. Remove the vein along the top of the lobster if it’s still there. Set the meat aside. Use the shears to cut the tail shells into several smaller pieces.
Reduce the wine
In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook briefly. Then add the cut up tail shells. Cook the shells until they begin to change colour, another 2 to 3 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the fresh tarragon sprigs. Bring to a boil and allow the wine to reduce to 1/2 cup. Strain the wine and return to a clean saucepan.
Make the beurre monté
Cut the butter into small pieces. Bring the reduced wine to a gentle simmer and then turn down the heat so it isn’t bubbling. Begin to whisk the cold butter into the reduction. Whisk constantly as you add the butter a few pieces at a time. Do not allow the liquid to come to a boil or the sauce may split. Whisk in the lemon juice, kosher salt, and pepper.
Be sure to keep the beurre monté at a temperature below 180° F. Do not allow it to boil. If the sauce begins to split, reduce the heat and whisk in a few more pieces of cold butter – that should emulsify the sauce once more.
Poach the lobster
Transfer the lobster tails to the warm beurre monté. Gently poach the lobster for 10 to 12 minutes until the lobster is cooked, flipping them several times as needed. Remove the lobster to a platter and cover to keep warm.
Serve the Butter Poached Lobster on Toast
Toast the bread. Once the lobster is removed from the beurre monté, whisk in the chopped tarragon and chives. To serve, slice the lobster tails in half lengthwise. Arrange two halves on a slice of toast and spoon over some of the beurre monté. Garnish with more chopped fresh chives. Enjoy!
