Thankfully, celebrating the most romantic day of the year doesn’t have to include a night out at an overcrowded bistro. Set the mood at home by cooking up the perfect seductive meal for two: Lobster Newburg. Tender, succulent lobster makes for an irresistible Valentine’s repast. This classic American dish combines the notorious aphrodisiac qualities of seafood with the richness of cream, sherry and cognac, plus the stimulating sensation of cayenne pepper. It’s a truly luxurious feast that’s guaranteed to get hearts pounding.
Our absolute favorite Lobster Newburg recipe comes from foodie, food blogger and graphic designer Leslie Styles. Leslie is the author of the enticing blog Scrumpdillyicious. You can read more about the history of this dish on Leslie’s blog.
LOBSTER NEWBURG
Recipe courtesy of Leslie Styles / Serves 4
Ingredients
- 8 puff pastry vol-au-vents pastry shells
- 4 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
- pinch of cayenne
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 cups cream
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1/4 cup sherry
- 2 lobster tails, shelled and chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 bunch of chives; half chopped and half left whole
Directions
- Combine the flour, paprika, curry powder, nutmeg, cayenne and salt to taste, in a small bowl and set aside.
- Melt 4 tbsp of butter in a large saucepan over low heat and add the minced shallot. Cook 3 minutes until it begins to brown. Add the flour mixture and stir well until well mixed with the butter. Then add the sherry ad brandy and whisk until smooth.
- Meanwhile, in small saucepan, bring the cream and tomato paste to a low simmer over medium heat, being careful not to let it come to a boil.
- Add the hot cream mixture to the flour gradually slowly, whisking constantly until the mixture is creamy and thick. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside.
- Bake pastry shells according to manufacturer’s instructions and set aside.
- In a sauté pan, melt the remaining 3 tbsp of butter over medium heat and when it starts to bubble, add the lobster and 1 tbsp of chopped chives. Cook until the lobster are just cooked through, then add enough Newburg sauce to cover, and simmer 2 minutes. If sauce is too thick, add some more cream and adjust seasoning.
- Serve the Lobster Newburg over the vol-au-vents pastry shells and garnish with chopped and whole chives.
For more of Leslie’s gorgeous food photography and kitchen inspiration, be sure to visit her blog at Scrumpdillyicious. Thanks, Leslie!
