Eric Ripert’s Lobster Cappuccino

Ingredients

• Celeriac soup:
• 2 cups (300 g) celeriac, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) dice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Fine sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Lobster foam
• 12 ounces (340 g) lobster bodies
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy brandy
• 8 ounces cream
• 1 tablespoon lobster roe
• ***
• Finishing:
• 4 ounces (115 g) lobster, diced
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• ½ ounce (15 g) truffles, grated

Instructions

1. Step 1: Celeriac soup
2. Place the celeriac in a pot with 1 ½ cups (360 ml) water and the butter. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Simmer until tender.
3. Place the celeriac in a blender and purée until smooth, using the cooking liquid as needed to thin. Reserve.
4. Step 2: Lobster foam
5. Heat a rondeau over medium-high heat and sear the lobster bodies for 2 minutes, or until they turn bright red. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the brandy and reduce slightly. Add the cream and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Using a handheld immersion blender, temper in the lobster roe. Reserve.
7. When adding the lobster roe, the sauce should be kept hot but not boiling. This should be whisked continually on low heat until the sauce is bright red. If the lobster foam is not cooked enough, the sauce will have a greenish-gray tinge to it.
8. Step 3: Finishing
9. To serve, warm the diced lobster in the butter and 1 tablespoon water. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
10. Bring the soup to a boil, thinning with water if necessary. Bring the lobster cream to a boil; remove from the heat and, using a handheld immersion blender, mix until very frothy.
11. Divide the lobster meat between four bowls and pour the soup over the lobster.
12. Spoon the lobster foam over the soup and sprinkle the truffle over the foam. Serve immediately.
13. This recipe was originally published in "My Best Eric Ripert" (Éditions Alain Ducasse).