1 LORIDA STONE CRABS AND LOBSTER
with Acorn Squash, Garlic, and Ginger Butter Sauce
Florida lobsters and stone crabs are both fresh in the market in late fall. I associate fall with pumpkins and squash, and their sweet flavors and autumn colors marry well with the sweetness of the shellfish.
Serves 4
Two 1'/г-pound Florida lobsters, in their Salt and cracked black pepper
shells 4 tablespoons ('/2 stick) butter
8 medium-large Florida stone crabs, 8 large whole garlic cloves, peeled
cooked in their shells 3 shallots, peeled and minced
2 acorn squash
1 tablespoon butter 2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil 24 whole peppercorns
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced 2 cups white wine
1 onion, peeled and finely diced lOto 12 fresh basil leaves
2 stalks celery, cleaned and finely diced 4 sprigs thyme
2 tomatoes, concassee
% cup peeled and sliced shallots 6 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 bay leaf '/2 cup white wine
12 whole black peppercorns, bruised V2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons peeled and roughly chopped 1 pound butter, cut into bits and kept
fresh gingerroot chilled
1. Remove the lobster meat from the shells by making a circular incision into the area where the head meets the body. Split the tail and pull out the meat; cut each tail in half lengthwise and then crosswise. Discard the intestinal vein, remove the tomalley, and set aside the lobster meat in a bowl. (Reserve tomalley for another use.) Save the shells. Crack the stone crabs open; try to keep the claw pieces in one whole section, on a plate by themselves. Crack open the joints and remove the meat to a bowl. Reserve the shells.
2. Make the stock: In a heavy pot, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the diced carrot, onion, and celery, and toss to coat with the butter and oil. Saute.
3. When the vegetables are almost tender, add the tomatoes and cook 5 minutes, stirring. Add the lobster and crab shells and the bay leaves, peppercorns, and white wine and reduce to a glaze.
4. Add just enough cold water to cover the shells and bring to a boil. Skim. Add the herbs, reduce to a simmer, and cook until reduced to 1 quart. Strain, then reduce the liquid in a clean saucepan to xh cup. This is your shellfish glaze.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scrape out the seeds and fibers. Season squash with salt and pepper and rub with 2 tablespoons of the butter.
6. Lay the garlic cloves on a baking sheet and invert the squash halves over the garlic. Bake the squash from 50 to 60 minutes, or longer if necessary. It should be just soft when you take it out. Allow it to cool a few moments, then peel and cut squash into medium-sized cubes. Reserve the squash and the garlic. Leave the oven on.
7. Make the sauce: In a medium-sized saucepan, reduce the sliced shallots, bay leaf, peppercorns, and ginger in the wine vinegar and wine until liquid has nearly evaporated. Add the shellfish glaze and reduce it by three-fourths. Add the cream and cook until fairly thick. Now beat in the butter piece by piece. Season to taste. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and keep warm.
8. In a heavy skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter on moderate heat until foamy. Season. Add the minced shallots and shake the pan. Now add the lobster meat and cook, turning pieces once. Then put the pan in the preheated oven. When the lobster meat is cooked (about 8 minutes) remove to a plate and keep warm.
9. While the lobster meat is baking, heat two medium-sized saute pans on top of the stove and put 1 tablespoon of butter in each pan. Put the loose crab meat from the joint and claws in one and the squash pieces in the other and heat through.
10. Ladle the warm butter sauce onto warm plates and distribute the crab and lobster over the sauce, divided evenly among the 4 plates. Arrange the squash between the crab and lobster sections. Arrange the garlic in a similar fashion. (The plate should look something like a clock.) Reheat assembled plates in the oven for a few seconds if food has cooled.
Note: You may skip the glaze procedure for an easier and somewhat less intense dish.
A big, buttery California Chardonnay or its Australian counterpart would be ideal here.