Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3/4 pound stemmed seedless green grapes, halved
- 2 live Maine lobsters (1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds each)
- 1/3 cup dry white wine, preferably Chardonnay
- 3 Tablespoons (or more) fresh orange juice
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Place all but 1/2 cup of the halved grapes in a food processor or blender and puree them. Strain the pureed grapes in a fine sieve, pressing on the pulp to extract as much juice as possible. (There should be about 3/4 cup grape juice.) Discard the solids. (This can be prepared 1 day ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.)In a pot large enough to easily hold both of the lobsters, bring plenty of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Rinse the lobsters briefly under cold running water. Without removing the rubber bands around their claws, plunge the lobsters head-first into the boiling water. Quickly cover the pot and bring the water back to a boil. Timing from the moment the water returns to a boil, cook the lobsters about 12 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: Combine the grape juice, wine, orange and lemon juices, shallots, and garlic in a large skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, and cook until it is reduced by half and slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved grapes and stir until they are just heated through, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, add the butter, and stir until it is completely melted. If the sauce is a bit too thick, thin it with a little orange juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove the lobsters from the pot with tongs and place them on their backs on a cutting board. Plunge a large knife right into the middle of the body of a lobster and split it in half from head to tail without going through the back shell. (To hold the lobster in place and protect your hands as you do this, use a pot holder or a folded kitchen towel.) Use both hands to crack open the lobster. Remove and discard the dark vein, the sand sac near the head, and any spongy tissue, but leave in the liver (tomalley) and coral (roe), if there is any. Pull off the claws and remove the rubber bands. Crack the claws with a mallet or hammer and remove the meat.
Place the lobsters, meat side up, on warmed dinner plates. Spoon the sauce over the lobsters and serve at once.
Yield: 2 servings
Recipe Source: Nicole Routhier's Fruit Cookbook by Nicole Routhier (Workman Publishing)
Reprinted with permission.
