HOMARD A L’AMERICAINE
PAIRED WITH BRUT ROSE

AMERICAN-STYLE LOBSTER

By Jean Imbert
The setting: the Manoir de Verzy in France, where Didier Mariotti, Cellar Master at Veuve Clicquot, invited Jean Imbert,
the internationally-renowned French chef.
In an open dialogue of respect and emulation, the two men optimistically discussed their savoir-faire and their desire to push the boundaries of tradition while also respecting the history and heritage of their professions.
In a spirit of sharing and creativity, Didier Mariotti and Jean Imbert imagined an exceptional meal in three acts, where the gastronomic classics of the holidays come alive around two of the House’s emblematic cuvées: Yellow Label and Brut Rosé.
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“Our Brut Rosé cuvée is emblematic because Madame Clicquot invented the first blended rosé. It’s therefore an integral part of the House’s history, and reflects real expertise in rosé. This is a wine of sun, a wine of summer, but also a wine of indulgence and harmony thanks to the red wines used in the blend and which bring magnificent, sumptuous notes. The Pinot Noir that composes this blend pairs extremely well with the lobster’s texture and iodine aromas.”
Didier Mariotti

AMERICAN-STYLE LOBSTER

You'll need

  • 3 Brittany lobsters
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • For the sauce inside the lobster:
  • 100g butter; 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 sprigs thyme; ½ fennel
  • 2 celery branches; 2 shallots
  • ½ leek; 100g ripe tomatoes
  • 1 bunch basil; 1 bunch flat parsley
  • 5 lemongrass leaves; 1 lemon
  • 2g Espelette pepper; 4cl cognac
  • 10cl white wine; 1L water
  • 20cl liquid cream
  • For the garnish:
  • 1 bunch medium-sized carrots
  • 2 garlic cloves; 1 bunch thyme
  • Grapeseed oil; Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Fleur de sel; Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 onion squash
Instructions
Instructions
This recipe uses all parts of the lobster.
To begin, separate the head from the body – the head will be used to make the sauce.
Cut off the lobster claws and tails.
Bring the water to a boil, add the black peppercorns.
To start, put in the lobster tails for 3 minutes and then cool them in ice water. Continue with the claws in the same water for 5 minutes and cool them as well. Peel the lobster from the shell and keep in the refrigerator.

Sauce
Cut the lobster heads into quarters.
In a saucepan, brown the butter and then add the insides of the lobsters.
Sprinkle with Espelette pepper.
Brown them well for a uniform color.
Then add all the aromatic garnishes which have been sliced, then flambé in cognac.
Deglaze everything with white wine and add the ripe tomatoes cut into quarters (you can also use tomato puree or a homemade tomato sauce).
Add water and simmer for 1 hour. Pass your sauce through a colander. Press well on the shells with a skimmer to obtain the maximum amount of juice, then filter everything through a cheesecloth.
Slowly reduce the sauce by half.
For 10 minutes, infuse the basil leaves, flat-leaf parsley, lemongrass leaves and lemon cut into strips. Filter again.
To finish, add the liquid cream and reduce again to obtain a creamy sauce.

Garnish
Wash the carrots. Do not peel them.
Heat the oven to 180°C.
In a roasting pan, place your carrots, salt them, add a little thyme, two unpeeled cloves of garlic. Brush everything with grapeseed oil, then put in the oven.
Cook for 20 minutes, turning regularly.
Take the onion squash, bake it in an oven at 250°C for 30 minutes.
Test the doneness by sticking the blade of a knife into it. Don’t be afraid to burn its skin, the pulp will only get better.
After cooking, remove the pulp from the onion squash and mash it with a fork.
Season lightly with salt, freshly ground pepper and extra-virgin olive oil.

Presentation:
Heat the lobsters in the sauce. In a casserole dish, start by covering the bottom with the crushed onion squash, then arrange the lobsters. Cut the carrots in half lengthwise and arrange them so as to create some depth in the presentation. Finish with the American-style sauce, a little fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper.

Discover

Jean Imbert

Voted Chef of the Year in 2019 by GQ magazine and considered one of the 50 most influential French people in the world in the Vanity Fair rankings, Chef Jean Imbert is a graduate of the Paul Bocuse School. He is the iconic winner of the TV show Top Chef in 2012. Today, Jean Imbert is at the head of the restaurant Mamie par Jean Imbert, B.B, La Case à St Barth, Swan Miami and Les Bols de Jean. A committed chef and advocate of healthy cooking, his values are at the root of his passion for taste and cuisine. His commitment also inspired him to write a book in tribute to his grandmother's recipes, "Merci Mamie", which is a commercial success and his third book after "Cuisine intime" and "Utile!", which focuses on eco-responsibility, a cause that the chef is passionate about.

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