Lobster in a Spring Vegetable Emulsion

The east coast of the United States enjoys a lovely spring. For once Paris is not one month ahead in terms of weather. Magnolias, forsythias, wisterias, and all the fruit trees are flowering for more than the three days generally allowed in our region. It is cause for celebration. So little else is: simultaneously, an Icelandic volcanic eruption has wide ranging consequences for millions of people varying from simple travel inconvenience to subsistence threatening issues. And as usual, my way of breaking the gloom takes the form of a dish suggestion, using the vegetables available in my garden: asparagus and chives. The inspiration comes from Paris, where I have been feeding on emulsion, and where the play on cooked and raw, when asparagus is concerned, has gone mainstream. Peas, lobster and asparagus are complementing flavor and create a lovely light lunch for 2 or starter for 4.

Lobster dressed in spring vegetables

Ingredients:

1 bunch green asparagus about 20

1 bunch wild leeks (ram)

1 cup green peas shelled

2 cooked lobsters or 8 shrimps meat only

A dozen oysters in their shell

½ cup (60 ml) heavy cream

½ cup (60 ml) cognac

½ cup (60 ml) white wine

2 shallots

Material:

Blender

Potato peeler

Steamer

Saucepan

       Break the stem of the asparagus and peel using the potato peeler. Count one inch from the head and cut the end. Keep about 4 head of asparagus raw and slice them lengthwise as thin as possible. Reserve in a tureen.

       Separate the root of the rams from the leaves. Wash the leaves as you would salad, and cut them in stripes. Reserve in the turren. Wash the root part and place in the steamer along with the asparagus stalks and the peas until barely cooked

 Reserve the steamed asparagus heads and the rams and place the remaining content of the steamer in the blender. Add the cream and blend.

Peel the shallots and slice finely. Place a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan. When it is melted, add the shallots and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the cognac and wine and reduce for another 5 minutes. Clean the oyster shells well and add them to the content of the saucepan. Cover and wait until the oysters open. Remove the meat from the shells and discard the shell. Reserve the oysters in the tureen. Place the content of the saucepan into the blender. Blend until smooth. Put back into the saucepan and keep warm.

Slice the lobsters or shrimp. Add to the tureen.

To serve, ask your guests to help themselves of the content of the tureen and pour the hot smooth emulsion on top.