Maine lobster tails poached in cultured butter recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) olive oil
• 1 large shallot
• 2 small garlic cloves
• 6 ounces Spanish piquillo peppers (half of a 12-ounce jar)
• ½ cup (4 ounces) orange juice
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• ⅛ teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
• ¹⁄₃ cup (approximately 2 ½ ounces) Light Chicken Stock
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
• Kosher salt and ground white pepper

• 2 packed cups arugula
• 1 bunch fresh Italian parsley
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 cup (8 ounces) ice water
• ¼ cup (2 ounces) olive oil
• Kosher salt and ground white pepper

• Two 8-ounce Maine lobster tails
• 1–2 pounds unsalted cultured butter or other unsalted butter
• Small (187.5 milliliter) split of “demi-sec” champagne, Prosecco, cava, or other sparkling wine
• Large sprig of fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and ground white pepper
• Pea shoots or small arugula leaves, for the finished dish

To Prepare the Piquillo Pepper Puree
1. Warm the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the peppers (no need to chop them), orange juice, tomato paste, paprika, and stock, and reduce until just a bit of liquid remains, about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer to a blender and puree. Mix in the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
To Prepare the Arugula Coulis
4. Make an ice bath.
5. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Blanch the arugula for about 20 seconds, remove it with a spider, and then shock it in ice water.
6. Blanch the parsley for 10 seconds, remove it with a spider, and add it to the ice water.
7. When cool, drain and squeeze out extra liquid with your hands. Place arugula and parsley in a blender with the garlic, ginger, and ice water, and puree.
8. Stir in the oil, season well with salt and pepper, and reserve at room temperature.
To Prepare the Lobster Tails
9. Pry the lobster meat carefully from the shells. The shells can be saved for stock or discarded. Cut each tail in half lengthwise.
10. Reheat the piquillo pepper puree.
11. Select a pan in which the 4 lobster tail sections can be poached side-by-side. You can save on the amount of butter used if you have a fairly close fit. Warm 1 pound of butter and the champagne together over low heat. When the butter is melted, add the lobster tail sections, the thyme, and a big pinch each of salt and pepper. If the lobster is not fully covered, you will need to add more butter until the tails disappear in the butter sea.
12. Raise the temperature to just under a simmer, about 190°F–195°F. Poach the lobster until tender, opaque, and just cooked through, 10–12 minutes. Transfer it to paper towels to drain. Slice each lobster tail section crosswise into 2 pieces.
Putting it all Together
13. Spread a portion of the pepper puree across each of 4 plates. Spoon arugula coulis across the other side of the plate. Arrange 2 pieces of lobster on each plate where the red and green meet in the center. Garnish with shoots or leaves and serve.