Lobster Shortcake with Rum Vanilla Sauce

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Serving size:6
Total Time:
Lobster Shortcake with Rum Vanilla Sauce

Ingredients

  • 11/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 12 tbsp very cold butter, cubed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 11/2 tsp baking soda
  • 11/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp finely sliced fresh ginger
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • kosher salt
  • 1/2 lb unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 1 serrano chili, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup dark rum
  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegars
  • 1/2 cup lime juice
  • 1 cup rice wine vinegars
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp Madras curry powder
  • 1 tsp tumeric
  • 1 serrano chili, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
  • 8 shallots
  • 1/2 lb butter
  • 3 (1 1/4 pound) lobster, boiled and meat removed

Directions

For the shortcake: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk, a bit at a time, until a soft dough holds together. Roll the dough to a 1/2-inch thickness and cut with a 3-inch round cutter. Make 12 cakes. Brush with cream and bake until lightly brown, about 15 minutes. Cool on a rack.

For the lime vanilla rum sauce: Combine the lime juice, vinegar, rum, chile, vanilla bean, shallots, and ginger in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat until reduced by two-thirds. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the softened butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain through a fine sieve and discard solid ingredients. The sauce can be held in a warm place for up to 1 hour.

For the curried shallots: Place all the ingredients in a stainless steel pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and cool. These can be made a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

For the lobster: Split each lobster tail in half. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the lobster and heat gently until the lobster is warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes.

To assemble the dish: Spoon half of the sauce evenly onto six warm plates. Split each shortcake and place the bottom half on each plate. Top each shortcake with one-half of a tail, a claw, and knuckle meat. Top with the remaining sauce and then with the top of the shortcake. Divide the curried shallots among the plates.

Recipe from Maine Classics by Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier/Running Press, 2011.