Four 1½-pound live lobsters 1 tsp salt
3 T butter Freshly ground black pepper
½ c thinly sliced fresh mushroom 2 T canned pimiento, drained and
caps finely chopped
¼ c finely chopped green pepper ¼ c soft fresh crumbs made from
2 T flour homemade-type white bread,
1 c milk pulverized in a blender or finely
¼ c cognac, or substitute ¼ c shredded with a fork
dry sherry 3 T freshly grated imported Parmesan
1 tsp paprika cheese
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In an 8-quart fish poacher or stock pot, bring 5 quarts of water to a
boil over high heat. Meanwhile, with short lengths of kitchen string, tie
the head, midsection and tail of each lobster to a long wooden spoon. The
spoons will hold the shells flat and prevent the tails from curling when
the lobsters are boiled.Plunge two lobsters into the pot and return the water to a boil. (The water should cover the lobsters by at least 1 inch; if necessary, add more boiling water.) Set the lid on the pot and cook briskly for 15 to 18 minutes. To test for doneness, remove one of the lobsters from the pot and grasp the end of one of the small legs at either side of the body. Jerk the lobster sharply. If the body drops away from the leg, the lobster is done. If the body remains attached to the leg, boil the lobster for 2 or 3 minutes longer. With tongs, transfer the cooked lobsters to a platter to drain, and boil the remaining two lobsters similarly in the same water.
Cut off all the strings and transfer the lobsters to a cutting board. Then cut or twist off the antennae and discard them. Twist off the claws of each lobster at the point where they meet the body, crack each claw in two or three places with a cleaver, and pick out all the meat. Cut the lobster meat into ½-inch pieces and reserve it; discard the claw shells.
One at a time place the lobsters on the board. With a sharp boning knife or heavy kitchen scissors, carefully cut a long oval-shaped opening out of the back of the shell. Start cutting at the base of the head and finish cutting just before the fan-shaped tail; depending on the size of the lobster, make the oval 2 to 2½ inches wide. Reaching through the opening, pick out all the meat from the body and tail. Remove and discard the gelatinous sac (stomach) in the head and the long white intestinal vein attached to it. Scoop out the greenish tomalley (liver) and reserve it. Discard the red coral (roe), if there is any. Cut the meat into ½-inch pieces and set the meat and shell aside. (At this point the lobster meat and body shells may be covered tightly with foil or plastic wrap and safely kept in the refrigerator for up to a day.)
Half an hour before you plan to serve the lobsters, preheat the oven to 400°. In a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet, melt the butter over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the mushroom caps and green pepper and, stirring frequently, cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the liquid that has accumulated in the pan has almost completely evaporated. Do not let the mushrooms or peppers brown; watch carefully and regulate the heat as necessary.
Stir in the flour and mix well. Then pour in the milk and, stirring constantly with a whisk, cook over high heat until the sauce comes to a boil, thickens lightly and is smooth. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved tomalley, the cognac (or sherry), paprika, salt and a few grindings of pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the lobster meat and pimiento and turn them about with a spoon until they are coated with sauce. Taste for seasoning.
Spoon the lobster mixture into the shells, dividing it evenly among them and mounding it attractively. Mix the bread crumbs and grated Parmesan together in a bowl and sprinkle them over the filling. Arrange the shells side by side on a jelly-roll pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the tops lightly browned. If you like, slide the lobsters under a preheated broiler for 30 seconds or so to brown the tops further. Serve at once. Serves 4.
