Equipment
Ingredients
Brioche Cups
- 4 brioche rolls
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
Lobster & Mushroom Filling
- 250 g cooked lobster meat, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 150 g cremini mushrooms, finely diced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 30 ml cognac
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 3 g fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- 10 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Garnish
- 30 g caviar
- 2 g fresh chives, finely minced
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Using a paring knife, cut a circle into the top of each brioche roll and carefully hollow out the interior, leaving a border of about 1 centimeter to create sturdy cups.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Brush the interior and exterior of the hollowed brioche cups with the melted unsalted butter. Place them on a baking sheet.
Toast the brioche cups in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until deeply golden and crisp. Remove and let them rest while preparing the filling.
Melt the unsalted butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and sauté for 2 minutes until translucent.
Add the finely diced cremini mushrooms to the pan. Cook until their moisture has released and fully evaporated, allowing the mushrooms to take on a slight browning, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat momentarily to carefully pour in the cognac. Return to the heat and simmer until the liquid is almost completely reduced.
Pour in the heavy cream. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Fold the diced cooked lobster meat, fresh tarragon, and lemon juice into the cream sauce. Warm gently for 2 minutes. Do not let the sauce boil rapidly to prevent the lobster from toughening. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
Spoon the warm lobster and mushroom filling generously into the toasted brioche cups.
Immediately top each filled brioche cup with a delicate quenelle of chilled caviar and a sprinkle of minced fresh chives. Serve at once.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure the brioche cups are toasted until deeply golden; this structural integrity prevents the rich cream sauce from making the bread soggy.
- When warming the cooked lobster meat, do not let the sauce boil rapidly, as the protein will seize and become unpleasantly chewy.
- For the best flavor contrast, ensure the caviar remains well-chilled in the refrigerator until the very moment of plating.
- Slightly stale brioche actually works better for the cups, as it handles the hollowing and toasting process more sturdily than freshly baked bread.
