Oven-roasted lobster with almonds ("homard rôti aux amandes" in French) is Papa’s (my dad’s) specialty. Papa doesn’t cook on a daily basis, except for Maman’s birthday and special occasions such as New Year’s Eve. Exactly one year ago, my husband Lulu and I were in Paris, celebrating the holiday season with my parents. And of course, Papa pleased me by cooking my favorite dish. First, the lobster is poached for a few minutes, then a drizzle of Hollandaise sauce covers the lobster meat along with a sprinkle of toasted almonds. Then, the lobster dish goes in the oven for a few minutes.
I absolutely love this seafood dish. The lobster meat turns out sweet and succulent. For obvious reasons, this luxurious dish isn’t an everyday meal, but it’s a great way to make special occasions that much more special.
1. Info for Roasted Lobster with Almonds
- Cook Time: unavailable
- Total Time: unavailable
- Servings: 6
- Calories: unavailable
2. Ingredients for Roasted Lobster with Almonds
- 3 whole live lobsters
- 2 cups white wine (optional)
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar (optional)
- 1 lemon, zested and freshly squeezed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 6 tablespoons curly parsley, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup Hollandaise sauce, for serving on the side
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, slightly toasted
3. Directions:
- Clean the lobsters, brush and rinse thoroughly. Place 1 gallon of water and the white wine (if used) in a pot. Bring to a boil. Add the lobsters to the pot, cover with a lid and simmer 5 minutes (they will finish cooking in the oven). Let the lobsters cool a bit. Once they’re cooled enough to handle, cut each lobster in half lengthwise.
- Carefully de-vein the black part of the lobster. Gather and reserve the coral from the head in a small bowl and discard the sand pocket near the head. Pat dry the lobsters using paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.
- Using an immersion hand mixer (at a low speed), combine the egg yolks, vinegar (if used), 1 tablespoon cold water and 2 tablespoons of butter in a stainless-steel mixing bowl. Place the bowl on a double boiler (see tips). Slowly increase the speed of the mixer and add the rest of the butter. After a total of about 7-8 minutes, the sauce should be creamy and warm.
- It’s easy to check the consistency of the sauce: Coat the back of a spoon with the sauce. Run your finger down the back of the spoon. If the line you created with your finger remains, the sauce is ready.
- Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, cayenne pepper and salt. The sauce is perfect when you get a yellow hue on the spoon. Transfer the sauce to a thermos insulated bottle until ready to serve (see tips).
- Preheat the oven to 475°F.
- Place 1 cup of warm Hollandaise sauce and the reserved coral in a bowl. Stir until well combined.
- Place the lobsters in a baking dish. Drizzle the lobster meat with about 2 tablespoons of Hollandaise sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and toasted sliced almonds.
- Place in the oven for 7-8 minutes. Once they’re cooked, maintain the temperature at 170°F to keep the dish warm until you’re ready to serve.
- Gently crack the claws using a meat tenderizer mallet and place more Hollandaise sauce in a serving bowl to serve on the side.
- Serve immediately.
- Bon appétit!