Lobster with Brandy Sauce
Ingredients
1 x 3 lb cooked lobster, shell split, claws cracked and grey sac removed
1 ½ oz butter
2 tspns olive oil
½ tspn salt
¼ tspn black pepper
¼ tspn cayenne pepper
6 fl oz brandy
1 tbspn beurre manié
Method
Remove the lobster meat from the shell, cut into small pieces and set aside. Wipe the shell halves clean and place them in a heatproof dish with the claws, set aside.
In a medium sized frying pan, melt the butter with the oil over moderate heat. When the foam subsides, add the lobster meat, salt, pepper and cayenne and fry, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until the lobster meat is lightly browned.
Preheat the grill to moderate. In a small saucepan, heat the brandy over low heat until it is hot but not boiling.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the brandy over the lobster meat. Ignite the brandy with a match and leave it until the flames have died down.
With a slotted spoon, remove the lobster meat from the pan and place it in the reserved shell halves.
Place the pan over moderate heat and bring the liquid to boil. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the beurre manié, a little at a time, beating constantly until the ingredients are blended and the sauce has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the sauce over the lobster meat.
Place the dish under the grill and grill for about 5 minutes or until the lobster is golden brown. Serve at once.