August 23, 2008...2:41 pm

Lobster Ravioli with Truffle Sauce

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Today’s post is definitely more complicated and time consuming than what I usually present here. PLEASE DONT GET SCARED OFF.  In the video I’ll show you how to make the raviolis themselves, how to cook them, and then finish the sauce. The video was filmed by my friend Collin Siemer who was visiting from London. I first met Collin when I did five episodes of the Chef du Jour show on Food Network back in 2000. Collin was the producer for those shows and we have remained great friends ever since. So I thought it would be fun to have him jump in and recreate one of the dishes I did on that show. Thank you Collin!!

I am presenting the recipe as I make it in the restaurant where I have lots of hands to help with labor. For those of you that want to recreate that dish you have the template. But I bet most of you will take some shorcuts to make it more manageable. You can find my suggestions below the recipe.

And even if you dont want to make your own raviolis you MUST try making the sauce – it would be great with even the most basic store-bought raviolis! One more suggestion: Try involving your dinner guests in the making of the raviolis. It can be a great pre-dinner group activity for your guests. And it’s relatively unmessy if you use the gyoza skins because you dont need flour all over your workbench.

The recipe is on the Food Network website and there is a link to that page in the section of my blog titled “Links to My Recipes on the Web”. But I am reposting it below so you can refer to the original recipe when deciding which substitutions to make.

 

 

Raviolis of Maine Lobster with White Truffle Sauce

 Yield – about 32 raviolis which can serve 8 as an appetizer or 6 as a main course

 
 
Filling:
2 live lobsters, 1 pound each
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

Lobster Stock:
Lobster shells from above
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
1 small onion, peeled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Water to cover
Truffle Sauce:
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
2 ounces white truffle butter
Dash lemon juice
Dash hot pepper sauce
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Egg wash:
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Pasta:
4 sheets fresh pasta, 18 inches by 24 inches
or 1 package wonton wrappersor gyozo skins

Garnish:
Sauteed shrimp (optional)
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
 
Method:
To Cook the Lobsters and Make the Lobster Stock:
Boil lobsters in lightly salted boiling water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and cool in cold water. Remove meat from shells and chop into small diced pieces, set aside. Rinse the lobster bodies (from above) under running water to remove the green tomalley. Combine with the vegetables, tomato paste, and garlic in a small stock pot. Cover with cold water (just enough to cover shells and vegetables). Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 hours. When done, strain, then reduce over medium high heat until thick and dark (watch it carefully, as you get near the end). You should have about 1/2 cup liquid. Set aside.
To Make the Truffle Sauce:
While the stock is reducing, prepare the truffle sauce. Heat the wine and chicken stock together. Bring to a boil, then reduce until almost dry (about 1/4 cup). Add heavy cream, reduce by 1/2 then add the truffle butter with a whisk until well incorporated. Finish with a dash of lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to use.
Filling:
Combine the chopped lobster meat, the tarragon and the reduced lobster stock. Mix well, add salt and pepper to taste.
To Make the Raviolis:
Blend together the egg yolk and milk for the eggwash. Lay out the pasta sheets and brush with the egg white. If using the fresh pasta sheets divide the lobster filling evenly into 32 parts and place it onto the sheets in rows 6 inches long by 3 inches wide, to make 32 pieces. If using the gyoza skins do the same procedure one by one. Cut with a round or scalloped edge cutter and place on a tray covered with parchment paper and dusted with cornmeal. Pinch the edges of the ravioli together to seal them well or you can use a ravioli tray to make them. You can make the raviolis ahead of time and freeze them, or use them fresh.


To Finish the Dish:
Cook the raviolis in boiling, lightly salted water, about 3-5 minutes if using fresh pasta, less if using wonton or gyoza wrappers, until pasta is al dente. While the pasta is cooking saute your shrimp if using. When pasta is done drain and toss with the truffle sauce, serve in bowls, and garnish with optional shrimp and a sprinkle of chopped chives. Parmesan cheese is not recommended for this dish as it interferes with the flavor of the sauce.
Substitutions and Short Cuts:
You can fill these raviolis with any shellfish you like - seared scallops, sauteed shrimp, crayfish are all good additions or substitutions (or use chopped broiled fish, or chopped sauteed mushrooms, or whatever else you can think of). Just be sure to chop them finely and moisten them with stock or a thick liquid.
If you dont want to make lobster stock you can substitute tomato sauce or reduced fish stock thickened with a little tomato paste. or you could use melted butter to moisten the filling.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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