DUKAI
Recipe BookFish & Seafood

Garlic & Herb Butter-Poached Lobster

Aragosta al burro, aglio ed erbe

Lobster tail and claw meat poached gently in garlic, thyme, tarragon and parsley beurre monté.

The lobster is poached in an emulsified butter bath rather than sautéed. The temperature is deliberately gentle so the flesh remains pearly and supple, and the same aromatic butter becomes the final seasoning for the composed pasta dish.

Serves 1 · 1 lobster portion from 1 prepared 500-600 g lobster · Preparation 10 min · Cooking 6 min

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Ingredients

Lobster

  • Raw tail and claw meat, shell removed cleanly; tail left in large elegant pieces, claws kept whole where possiblefrom 1 prepared 500-600 g lobster
  • Fine sea saltas required

Garlic-herb beurre monté

  • Water15 ml
  • Cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-2 cm cubes and kept cold180 g
  • Garlic, clove, lightly crushed1 each
  • Thyme, sprigs2 each
  • Tarragon, small sprig1 each
  • Parsley stalks, clean, leaves removed3 each to 4 each

Method

Kitchen specification

  1. Use the clean tail and claw meat from one 500-600 g lobster. Keep recognisable pieces rather than cutting the lobster into dice.

  2. The beurre monté should remain between approximately 82-88°C while the lobster cooks. It may shimmer, but it must never sizzle or fry.

  3. The cooked lobster should be pearly and just opaque through the centre, firm enough to hold shape and still supple when pressed. If it curls hard or flakes dryly, it has gone too far.

  4. Reserve 15-20 g strained aromatic butter for each final plated portion.

Preparing the beurre monté

  1. Put the 15 ml water into the smallest saucepan that will hold the lobster in a shallow, even layer.

  2. Bring the water just to a simmer, then reduce the heat.

  3. Whisk in the 180 g cold butter a few cubes at a time. Each addition should emulsify before the next is added.

  4. When all the butter is incorporated, add the garlic, thyme, tarragon and parsley stalks.

  5. Hold the emulsion between 82-88°C. If it begins to separate, move the pan off the heat and whisk rather than adding more heat.

Poaching the lobster

  1. Season the lobster lightly with fine sea salt immediately before cooking.

  2. Lower the tail and claw pieces into the aromatic butter in a single layer. The butter should surround the pieces without aggressively bubbling.

  3. Poach gently for approximately 4-6 minutes, turning larger pieces once for even cooking.

  4. Remove each piece as soon as it is pearly and just opaque through the centre. The claw may be ready before a thicker tail section, so judge the pieces individually rather than forcing them to finish together.

  5. Rest the lobster for 1 minute on a small warm tray while the butter is strained.

Straining and service

  1. Pass the butter through a fine sieve to remove the garlic and herbs.

  2. Reserve 15-20 g per plated portion for finishing the lobster pasta.

  3. If the lobster must wait briefly, coat it with a spoonful of the strained butter and hold warm. Do not return it to direct high heat.

  4. Do not overcook the lobster and do not brown it in the butter. The purpose of this preparation is tenderness and aromatic butter flavour, not a seared crust.

Chef’s notes

  • The temperature of the butter is the control point. A beurre monté that turns into frying butter changes both the texture of the lobster and the character of the final plate.
  • Keep the lobster pieces large and recognisable. The guest should see lobster immediately, not have to find chopped meat among the pasta.

Make ahead

Prepare and portion the raw lobster before service and keep chilled. Build the beurre monté close to service. Poach the lobster to order.

Allergens and diet

Crustaceans. Milk.

Used in

Last refined · September 2026