Velouté
de Potimarron* with Flambéed Lobster Tails and a Parmesan Crisp
Serves 8 to 10 for an entrée (small bowl) or 4 to 6 for a main
course
Prep Time: 30 to 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1.5 hours
Equipment: parchment paper, baking
sheet, large pot, cheese grater, kitchen scissors, food processor or immersion
blender, large frying pan, long kitchen matches, spatula
Ingredients for
the Velouté
2 medium-sized
potimarron (Hokkaido squash) or butternut squash*
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt (fleur de sel, sea, or kosher)
Fresh ground pepper
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 medium leek, sliced
into thin rounds*
1 onion, peeled and
diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, peeled and
diced
2 garlic cloves,
peeled, de-germed, and finely minced
6-7 cups homemade chicken
broth or canned chicken or vegetable
stock
1 to 2 teaspoons ground
cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
3 healthy pinches herbes de Provence
Juice of 1 lemon
Sprigs of lavender or
rosemary for garnish
Crème fraîche or sour
cream (optional**)
Chopped chives
(optional**)
Ingredients for
the Parmesan Crisp
7 ounces Parmesan cheese,
a nice chunk
Ingredients for
the Lobster Tails
4 langoustes
(spiny/Caribbean lobsters) thawed—approximately 4 oz. each
Juice of 1 to 2 freshly
squeezed oranges
2 to 3 tablespoons
finely minced ginger
Fresh ground pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 2 knobs of butter
(about 1 to 2 tablespoons each)
¼ cup Armagnac or cognac
Technique
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Using a sharp knife, cut
the squash in half. Deseed, then cut the squash into large chunks. Place on a
parchment-lined baking sheet, skin side down. Drizzle with olive oil. Lightly
salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 25 minutes.
While the squash is
cooking, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add
leeks, onion, celery, carrot, and garlic, cooking until vegetables are soft,
about ten minutes. Add the broth, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and herbes de Provence. Bring to a boil,
cover, and reduce heat to simmer.
When the squash is ready,
set aside and let cool.
It’s time to make the Parmesan
crisps while the oven is hot. Hand grate the Parmesan using a grater. Each
crisp requires 1½ to 2 tablespoons of cheese, totaling 8-10 rounds. Bake on a
parchment-lined baking sheet for around 7 minutes, until golden. Remove from
the oven and set aside.
Using kitchen scissors,
cut off the lobster shells. Gingerly remove the meat of the lobster from the
shell, aiming to remove it in one piece. Place the tails in a bowl and add the
juice of the oranges and the ginger. Mix well, cover in plastic wrap, and set
the bowl in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
When the squash is cool
enough to handle, peel off the skin and chop the squash into 1-inch to 2-inch
cubes. (You should have about 5 to 6 cups.) Add the squash to the pot of
vegetables and broth. Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. Purée in batches
with a food processor or all at once with an immersion
blender until creamy. Season with the juice of the lemon and salt and pepper to
taste. Keep warm.
Add a dash of olive oil
to a large pan along with a knob or two of butter. Set the heat to medium high.
Place the lobster tails in the pan and fry until the meat is white, flipping to
cook both sides. After the tails are cooked to perfection, turn off the heat on
the stove and, very important, the evacuation system, if using. It’s time to
flambée. Pour the Armagnac over the tails and quickly light a long kitchen
match, dipping it into the alcohol. If the flames rise too high, grab a pot
cover and snuff the flame out. Please note: flambée at your own risk. If you
have long hair, tie it back out of the way.
Cut the lobster tails
into bite-sized pieces. Pour the soup into bowls. Add a few morsels of lobster,
about four to six pieces a person. Using a spatula, lift up the Parmesan
crisps. Garnish the soup with one Parmesan crisp, and fresh herbs like lavender,
thyme, or rosemary. Serve immediately.
Bon appétit!
Chef Sophie’s Notes:
To clean leeks, slice off
the dark green end, trimming to the part where the color is pale green or
white. Cut off the roots. Slice the stalk lengthwise, not cutting through it. Run
leeks under cold water. Set aside until ready to chop and use.
This soup can be served
on its own. Garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche (or sour cream), chopped
chives, and fresh ground pepper.
