Serves 4

Truffle Roasted Lobster Tails in Champagne Sauce

While taking a French cooking class, the chef gave me advice that has stayed with me through my cooking adventures.  He told me to listen to my heart when cooking and use ingredients I love, the flavor of the final dish would reflect Amour!  

Truffle Roasted Lobster Tails in Champagne Sauce came from my love of two things – lobster and champagne.  The Flavor Tiers in this recipe interact rather interestingly since the sauce used to infuse the lobster tails is also a part of the finishing sauce.  Starting the dish by roasting the lobster tails with black truffle oil creates a savory balance to the sweetness of the lobster meat.  Using a small amount of Alaskan Salmon Roe caviar and shaved black truffles as the final Tier completes the presentation with a bright color and adds a bit of a salty topping to compliment the champagne flavor.

The Flavor Tiers begin with 8-9 oz lobster tails roasted with black truffle oil.  The next Tier consists of a Champagne Sauce that includes additional black truffle oil and an assortment of wild mushroom.  The rule of thumb when cooking with wines of any type: if you would not drink it then you should not use it in cooking.  I suggest using a non-vintage bottle of Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label as the Champagne in the sauce.  This mid-range, medium bodied Champagne has the right balance of acidity to complement the herbs and mushrooms.  

Once the lobster tail meat has been infused in the Champagne Sauce, it is reduced and crisped parsley and tarragon are added to create a thick, rich sauce.  While the final Tier is simply a scant tablespoon of caviar and sprinkling of shaved black truffles, it provides an elegant ending.

The dish can be served with the lobster meat in the shell and the mushrooms along side, but I recommend you pull the meat from the shell and lay it on top of the mushrooms before saucing.  This prevents any accidental “tossing of the lobster meat” across the dinner table!

4 fresh lobster tails, 8-9 oz each (can substitute frozen lobster tails partially defrosted)
4 t black truffle oil

Sauce

1 1/2 T black truffle oil, divided
1 1/2 pound mixed mushrooms, porcini, shiitake, crimino, sliced
1/3 c minced shallots
1 1/2 t lemon juice
1 t salt
9 peppercorns
3 C champagne (Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label)
1 1/2 T fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 T fresh tarragon, chopped
1 1/2 T tarragon butter

2 T heavy cream
1 5.5 oz jar Alaskan Salmon Roe Caviar
Black Truffles

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Flavor Tier 1

Split the underside of the lobster tails taking care not to cut into the flesh. Slightly separate split taking care to not break tails completely.

Flavor Tier 2

Pour ½ teaspoon of black truffle oil into each tail. Push tail back together and coat outside of each with ½ teaspoon of black truffle oil. Place on broiler pan underside up. Bake for 10 minutes, turn, continue baking until shell is bright red; approximately 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool slightly and remove meat in one piece from tail shells.

Flavor Tier 3

Sauce

Place 1 tablespoon truffle oil and shallots into a large skillet. Sauté shallots over medium heat until shallots are transparent, approximately 5 minutes. Turn to low heat and add sliced mushrooms and salt. Cook 10 minutes until mushrooms have released some of their moisture. Add peppercorns, bay leaf and champagne. Bring to simmer and add lobster meat. Turn off heat and let rest 2 minutes.

Remove lobster meat and place in bowl, cover with foil to keep warm. Remove mushrooms and place in bowl, cover to keep warm.

Flavor Tier 4

Rapidly boil the champagne sauce over high heat until reduced in half; 5-6 minutes. While sauce is simmering, place parsley, tarragon and tarragon butter in a small skillet. Sauté the herbs over medium high heat until crisp about 2 minutes. Add herbs and butter to sauce reduction. Mix. Add the cream. Mix. Remove from heat.

On each of 6 plates, evenly divide mushrooms to one side of the plate. Place a lobster tail on top of the mushrooms. Evenly divide the Champagne Sauce between plates, pouring on top of the lobster and a swirl around the plate.

Flavor Tier 5

Top each serving with 1 teaspoon caviar and a sprinkle of shaved black truffles.

On opposite side of the plate, place a Gratin de Pommes mound. Serve.