Lobster Mousse with Artichokes
Ingredients
- For the lobster mousse
- 500 grams Lobster shell (chopped)
- 2 Tbsps clarified butter
- 2 Tomatoes (quartered)
- 1 stalk Celery (diced)
- 100 milliliters Sauternes
- 4 centiliters Noilly Prat
- 100 milliliters white Port wine
- 3 Star anise
- ¼ tsp Szechuan pepper
- 300 grams Whipped cream
- 5 sheets gelatin (soaked cold)
- salt
- 250 grams whipped Whipped cream
- For garnish
- 4 unshelled Lobster claw
- rosemary
- thyme
- For the artichoke salad
- 4 Tbsps olive oil
- 2 shallots (peeled and diced)
- 2 garlic cloves (peeled and pressed)
- ½ Fennel bulb (cleaned and diced)
- 1 stalk Celery (cleaned and diced)
- 1 carrot (peeled and diced)
- ½ stalk Leeks (only the white part, diced)
- 2 Tomatoes (quartered)
- Noilly Prat (per 1 cl)
- Pernod (per 1 cl)
- 2 Tbsps White vinegar
- ½ Tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Star anise
- 1 tsp white peppercorns
- thyme (1 each branch)
- rosemary (1 each branch)
- 500 milliliters chicken stock (prepared)
- salt
- freshly ground peppers
- 1 pinch sugar
- 6 small Artichoke (or 6 artichoke bottoms)
Preparation steps
For the artichoke salad: Heat 2 tablespoons oil and sauté vegetables in it. Deglaze with vermouth, Pernod and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Add spices and herbs and pour in chicken stock. Add salt, pepper and sugar, bring to a boil, let stand briefly and then pour stock through a sieve.
Fry rinsed artichokes or artichoke bottoms in remaining oil and pour in 1 tablespoon vinegar . Pour in stock, bring to a boil and braise artichokes over low heat for 6-8 minutes until soft, then let cool until lukewarm. Remove artichokes from pan and cut into pieces. Remove stock and add back in artichokes to keep warm.
For the lobster mousse: Saute lobster shell in hot butter for about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and celery and continue to saute. Deglaze with white wine, vermouth and port wine. Add spices and liquid cream along with 500 ml (approximately 2 cups) of water and bring to a boil.
Let simmer about 30 minutes, remove from heat, allow to cool to room temperature, then strain through a fine sieve.
Reduce the stock from 500 ml (approximately 2 cups) to 100 ml (approximately 3 1/3 ounces). Dissolve squeezed gelatine in reduced stock, mix with remaining stock, add salt and stir in a bowl over ice until cold. Fold in whipped cream just before the gel point and place mousse in the fridge for 3 hours. To serve, scoop out portions of lobster mousse, serve with artichoke salad and garnish with 1 unshelled lobster claw and herbs.
