Homard a l’Americaine

Ingredients

• the lobster should be alive
• one oz. of butter
• one-sixth pint of oil
• two chopped shallots
• one crushed clove of garlic
• one-third pint of white wine
• one-quarter pint of fish fumet
• one tablespoonful of melted meat-glaze
• three small, fresh, pressed, and chopped tomatoes
• two tablespoonfuls of tomato purée
• a pinch of concassed parsley
• a very little cayenne

Method

1. 1

   Prepare the lobster by severing and crushing the claws, cutting the tail into sections, and removing the queen.

2. 2

   Season the lobster pieces.

3. 3

   Fry in hot oil and butter until the meat stiffens and the carapace turns red.

4. 4

   Remove grease, add shallots and garlic, then white wine, fish fumet, burnt brandy, meat-glaze, tomatoes, parsley, and cayenne.

5. 5

   Cover and cook in the oven for 18-20 minutes.

As published

This recipe was extracted from A guide to modern cookery (1909) by A. Escoffier, page 183. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

HOMARD A L’AMERICAINE The first essential condition is that the lobster should be alive. Sever and slightly crush the claws, with the view of withdrawing their meat after cooking; cut the tail into sections; split the carapace in two lengthwise, and remove the queen (a little bag near the head containing some gravel). Put aside, on a plate, the intestines and the coral, which will be used in the finishing of the sauce, and season the pieces of lobster with salt and pepper. Put these pieces into a sautépan containing one-sixth pint of oil and one oz. of butter, both very hot. Fry them over an open fire until the meat has stiffened well and the carapace is of a fine red colour. Then remove all grease by tilting the sautépan on its side with its lid on; sprinkle the pieces of lobster with two chopped shallots and one crushed clove of garlic; add one-third pint of white wine, one-quarter pint of fish fumet, a small glassful of burnt brandy, one tablespoonful of melted meat-glaze, three small, fresh, pressed, and chopped tomatoes (or, failing fresh tomatoes, two tablespoonfuls of tomato purée), a pinch of con- cassed parsley, and a very little cayenne

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.