Civet de Langouste

Some friends recently told me they’ve enjoyed following my blog, and they wanted to learn more about how I choose the locations and recipes. Since we hadn’t gotten together in a while, we set a dinner date at their place.

What a fun challenge to extend this experiment to entertaining! They’re brave enough to try something new and we all like seafood, so we picked a lavish treat: Civet de Langouste (Lobster in Red Wine).

Much to our delight, even with the splurge, our weekly shop was cheaper than usual! The fresh lobster, prosciutto, wine and cognac cost about $45. (Since we don’t drink cognac, I bought a miniature, which costs more by volume.) We scaled back our other meals to use less-expensive but no-less-delicious protein, like chicken, eggs and beans, so we didn’t break the bank.

If you’ve got a special occasion coming up and want to prepare something unexpected and luxurious, I definitely recommend Civet de Langouste. It’s truly succulent. Interestingly, it takes on the color of the wine you choose, so it can range from ruby red to deep purple depending upon its hue. Plus, I think it would work equally well with duck, beef or even a "gamey" protein like bison or boar.

My sincerest appreciation to Madeleine and Clancy Philippe, who granted me permission to share their recipe. Here’s how I made it.

Oil

3-4 lbs. fresh lobster

¼ lb prosciutto, diced into lardons

1 large carrot, thinly sliced

2 onions, minced

2 shallots, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper

Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

3 Tbsp cognac

1 can (15 oz) petite diced tomatoes

1 bottle dry, fruity red wine (We used Apothic Red.) 

Cooked egg noodles

If you're going to prepare the lobsters yourself, steam or boil them, shell them using a bowl to save the juices, and slice the tails and claws into large chunks. Use the remaining meat and green “coral” to your preference. Fortunately for the squeamish, like me, the fish mongers at Price Chopper sell them already cooked.

Heat the oil in a large skillet, and lightly brown the prosciutto and lobster chunks. This’ll take about 5 minutes, and you’ll need to watch it carefully so the lobster doesn’t burn. Then add the carrot, onions, shallots, garlic, cayenne, salt and pepper and sauté for a few more minutes till the veggies soften slightly.

Deglaze the pan with the cognac and sauté till it evaporates. Remove the lobster and keep it warm. Add the tomatoes and wine to the veggies, bring to a boil, and cook till the liquid thickens and reduces by half. Add the lobster and reserved juices (and other meat and coral, if desired) and simmer for a just a few more minutes to blend the flavors. Serve, and savor!

We enjoyed ours with egg noodles, but the Philippes recommend serving it with a fresh, crusty pain du baguette.