Featured Recipe
Lobster Pea Benedictine
By Kate
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Homard with green peas and tarragon salad, steamed eggs, and hollandaise sauce made with a lemon-chive twist. Lobster meat steamed gently, eggs soft to medium steam-cooked, and a hollandaise with added fresh chives. Dressing with grapeseed oil and lime juice. Served with toasted brioche or English muffins. A seafood main course, free of nuts, lactose, and gluten. Cook times tweaked slightly, and ingredient amounts adjusted for a fresher take.
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Prep:
40 min
Cook:
25 min
Total:
65 min
Serves:
4 servings
seafood
French cuisine
lunch
dinner
special occasions
Introduction
Lobster meat. Peas with pepperiness of arugula. Tarragon for bite. Soft-steamed eggs cut in half. Hollandaise flicked with lemon and a touch of fresh chives, butter brought just enough warmth. Eggs steamed, lobsters gently heated in same basket – efficient. Greasy butter, sharp lime and grapeseed oil in salad. Toast crunch optional but recommended. Not fancy complicated – fresh, sharp, warm, and matching textures all working. French nods but subtle, straight seafood main course. Tweaked amounts to lighten richness, timing nudged up or down a bit. The bit of chive changes scent to freshness. Simple but layered. Bright, tender, creamy. Something a bit new from old classics.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Swapped traditional oil for grapeseed oil – lighter flavor, less overpowering. Added lime juice rather than lemon in salad to brighten differently. Tarragon remains but smaller portion, balancing freshness. Chives folded into hollandaise for a herbaceous twist. Butter trimmed to 150g from 170g, slightly less heavy but still rich. Peas reduced a bit to 120g making salad less bulky. Using brioche instead of English muffins optional, adds slight sweetness laying under warm lobster and eggs. Eggs steamed 11 minutes to finish with a medium firmness yolk, rather than 10 minutes. Lobster size trimmed to 600 g from 675 g; visually balanced without excess richness. These quantities serve 4, plate arranged for impact but ease.
Method
Salad
- Mix peas, arugula, scallions, and tarragon in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Keep at room temperature.
- Whisk lemon juice, water, and egg yolks off heat in a heatproof bowl.
- Set over barely simmering water. Whisk until slightly thickened and foamy, about 6 minutes, careful to avoid overheating.
- Remove from heat. Whisk in butter gradually in a thin stream, stirring constantly.
- Add chives, season salt and pepper. Hold warm off direct heat or back briefly on bain-marie before serving.
- Fill saucepan with a shallow layer of water, place folding steamer basket (marguerite) inside. Water just below basket bottom.
- Bring to boil over medium-high heat.
- Place 3 eggs on basket. Cover and steam 11 minutes for medium-firm yolks.
- Immediately cool eggs under cold running water. Peel shells.
- Place lobster meat halves on basket, reheat 2-3 minutes covered.
- Slice eggs and lobster tails horizontally.
- Dress salad with grapeseed oil and lime juice. Toss gently.
- Plate sauce hollandaise in center. Add salad. Top with warm lobster and eggs.
- Serve with toasted brioche or English muffins if desired.
Hollandaise Sauce
Lobsters and Eggs
Assembly
Technique Tips
Salad mixed early to let flavors mingle at room temp. Hollandaise made in bain-marie, whisk constant but gentle to avoid scrambled yolks – can catch if too hot. Butter added in slow stream, quick whisking needed for silky texture. Chives folded in last step off heat to keep color. Water at base of pot for steaming kept just below basket, so items not wet but steam rises calmly. Eggs cooled fast under cold water to stop cooking and ease peeling. Lobster reheated for few mins only so texture firm but not dried out. Horizontal slicing of eggs and tails for visual reveal of layers after warm plating. Dressing tossed just before plating to avoid wilting arugula. Muffins toasted strong for crunch if used. Serve immediately while warm sauce loosens salad and meat. Timing jitter by ±1–2 minutes on steaming for preferred yolk softness.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use fresh herbs, like tarragon and chives. Adds brightness. No brown bits, just green. Adjust amounts for balance. Chives in hollandaise keep it fresh.
- 💡 Control steam timing. Your eggs need 11 minutes for medium yolk. Water below basket, steam rises slowly. Too quick can ruin texture. Slow method good.
- 💡 Chill shell after boiling. Cold water makes peeling easier. Rigorous is fine. Helps with clean egg halves. Cracks happen, just be careful. Smooth slicing is key.
- 💡 Hollandaise can scramble easily. Whisk off heat. Get it frothy first. Once thick, add butter slowly. Constant motion keeps it silky. Chives at end for color.
- 💡 Use brioche or muffins. Brioche adds sweetness, muffins stay crisp. Toast well. Crunchy texture balances soft lobster. Hang tight on timing for serving.
Kitchen Wisdom
Can I use frozen lobster?
Yes, thaw well. Steam gently. Don't overcook. Fresh is best but frozen works. Check texture after steaming.
What if I mess up hollandaise?
If it curdles, blend it. Add hot water gradually. Start whisking again. It’s forgiving. Keep at low temp, avoids scrambling.
How do I store leftovers?
Store separate components. Lobster and eggs in fridge. Hollandaise won’t keep well. Best fresh. Reheat gently next day.
Can I alter ingredients?
Yes, swap peas for spinach. Or use different seafood. Herbs are versatile. Adjust dressing too, based on what you have.
