Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Brioche Cups
- 4 brioche rolls, unsliced
- 20 g unsalted butter, melted
Lobster and Mushroom Filling
- 200 g cooked lobster meat, chopped into 1cm pieces
- 100 g cremini mushrooms, finely diced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 30 ml cognac
- 60 ml heavy cream
- 5 g fresh chives, finely chopped
- 5 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- kosher salt
Garnish
- 20 g ossetra caviar, chilled
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 190C or 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the top quarter off each brioche roll. Using a small knife, carefully hollow out the center of each roll to create a cup, leaving a 1cm border. Brush the insides and edges with the melted butter.
Place the brioche cups on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside.
In a medium saute pan, melt the 30g of butter over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and diced mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms have released their moisture and begin to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Pour in the cognac to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the liquid simmer until almost completely evaporated.
Stir in the heavy cream and simmer gently for 2 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly and can coat the back of a spoon.
Reduce the heat to low. Gently fold in the chopped cooked lobster meat, lemon juice, and chopped chives. Cook just until the lobster is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Do not boil, or the lobster will become tough. If starting with raw lobster meat, ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 74C or 165F. Season with kosher salt to taste.
Divide the warm lobster and mushroom mixture evenly among the toasted brioche cups, filling them just above the brim.
Using a mother of pearl or wooden spoon, place a 5g dollop of chilled caviar on top of each filled brioche cup. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Caviar should never touch metal utensils; always use mother of pearl, glass, bone, or wood to preserve its delicate, briny flavor profile.
- If you are utilizing raw lobster tails rather than precooked meat, I recommend gently butter-poaching them at 60C before chopping to ensure maximum tenderness.
- The brioche cups can be hollowed out and toasted up to a day in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature and refresh in a warm oven for 3 minutes before filling.
- Cognac provides a classic, warming depth ideal for winter menus, but a dry white wine or even a splash of dry sherry makes an excellent substitution.
- Keep the caviar in the coldest part of your refrigerator over ice until the exact moment of plating to maintain its crisp pop.
Storage
Refrigerator: 24 hours — Store components separately. Assembled cups will become soggy.
Reheating: Reheat the filling gently on the stove and re-toast brioche cups in the oven. Do not heat the caviar.
