Region: Italy
Category: Seafood
Season: Any
Difficulty: Labor Intensive
This is more of a restaurant-type dish than one of home cooking, 
but it does make an elegant dinner when you want something really special. It gets to be somewhat unmanageable in the home kitchen if doing it for four or more, so I like to cook it for just two people. My son Seri and I had this one evening on a whim and we both enjoyed it immensely.
[photo: Clifford A. Wright]
Yield: Makes 2 servings
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
One 1 1/2-pound live lobster
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
3 tablespoons brandy
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Grated zest from 1 orange
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and salt. Twist off the claws and arms of the lobster in a quick twisting motion. The lobster will not die. Cook the claws and arms for 3 minutes, then drain and cool. Separate the arms from the claws. Twist the movable part of the claw back and forth so the shell comes off leaving the meat still attached. If the meat comes off anyway, don’t worry, just set it aside. With the back of a heavy chef’s knife crack the claw lengthwise and twist slightly so you can reach the meat without too much effort. Crack the arm pieces so you can reach the meat. Set aside.
2. Turn the lobster on its back and kill it by plunging a chef’s knife into its body cavity (not the tail) then push down towards the tail splitting the lobster in half all the way. Separate the tail from the body. Remove all the coral and tomalley and set aside with the other lobster pieces. Save the body for making broth if desired. Cut each tail half into 2 so you will now have four tail pieces. Set aside with the other lobster pieces.
3. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat until smoking, add the lobster pieces, onion, and garlic and cook until the lobster meat starts turning white, turning almost constantly, about 2 minutes. Add the brandy and shake the pan to ignite it. Cook until the flames extinguish themselves, then cook until nearly evaporated. Pour in the wine and cook, stirring, until evaporated by about half. Add the butter, orange zest, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the butter is melted and the sauce syrupy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chives and cook 1 minute, stirring, and serve.
Variation:
Note:
Posted: 12/29/2006