Mousse Au Homard Recipes

TERRINE D'HOMARD MOUSSELINE (A MOLD OF SEA AND RIVER FOOD SET WITH CREAM AND EGGS)

Steps:

• Place the live lobster in a sink of blood heat water (it is at this temperature that scientists say that all edible shellfish die with the least discomfort). Remove from water and crack open and take out flesh (usually 5 ounces from a 1 1/2 pound lobster). Reserve the shell. Heat a serving platter in the warming oven - preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Put both pike and lobster flesh through a mincer with a very fine screen. Keep the flesh in a bowl set in another bowl of rice. Into a frying pan, place some clarified butter and add the onion and garlic clove - pop in the lobster shells and simmer gently. Add 1 ounce of brandy and set it alight. Pour in the 1 cup of dry white wine, cover and continue cooking over a low heat.
• Put the blanched mushrooms through the mincer and then add to the chilled fish flesh. Carefully blend in the 1 cup of whipping cream and season generously with freshly ground salt and pepper. Beat the 2 egg whites in a bowl and fold into the fish. Pour this mixture into 2 separate moulds and set them in a "bainmarie" (bath of hot water) and cover the molds with foil. Place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes - remove the foil after this period and cook uncovered for another 30 minutes. Strain the stock from the lobster shells, approximately 3/4 cup should be left, pour into a heated pan - increase the temperature and add the sliced tomatoes - simmer. Remove the baked fish molds from the oven and unmold onto the heated serving platter. Sieve the tomato stock mixture - pushing through as much tomato flesh as possible. Add the 2 egg yolks to the sieved stock (off the heat). Blend the arrowroot with the extra tablespoon of whipping cream and then add the mixture to the stock mixture for thickening. Return to the heat and allow the sauce to thicken - it shouldn't boil. Pour the sauce over the fish molds - dust with the chopped parsley and serve.

MOUSSE AU HOMARD

Steps:

• Prepare a decorative plastic or aluminum aspic mold by brushing lightly with olive oil. Finely chop celery, onion, and bell pepper. Set aside a few larger pieces of lobster and roughly chop the rest. In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup, softened cream cheese, and mayonnaise. Blend with a whisk to dissolve all lumps. In a small bowl, dissolve 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin in 1/2 cup of warm water. Add dissolved gelatin to cream cheese mixture. Stir in chopped celery, onion, bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into prepared mold and refrigerate overnight. Before serving, wrap mold with dishtowel soaked in warm water to gently warm the mold. Invert onto platter lined with lettuce and tap lightly to loosen. Garnish with reserved pieces of lobster. Serve with good crackers or croutons.

MOUSSE AU CHOCOLAT

Steps:

• Grate 50g/2oz of the chocolate and reserve. Break the rest into small, even-sized pieces and melt in a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. Take the pan off the heat but keep the bowl over the hot water and stir in the brandy. Don't worry if the mixture thickens - it will smooth out again later.
• Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until they're standing in stiff peaks. Spoon in half the sugar, whisk again, then add the rest of the sugar and whisk until it looks glossy like meringue. Whip the cream in a separate bowl. Take the melted chocolate off the pan and fold in a heaped metal serving spoon of meringue to loosen the consistency, then tip the chocolate into the meringue and fold in lightly but thoroughly. Now fold in the whipped cream, then twothirds of the grated chocolate.
• Spoon the chocolate mixture into six demitasse cups (or you could use espresso cups or small teacups) and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight if this is more convenient. Sprinkle with the remaining grated chocolate, then dust with icing sugar. Serve the cups on saucers with some crisp biscuits tucked alongside.