Lobster Tails in Patty Shells
Lobster tails in patty shells spoons sweet lobster meat in a sauterne-spiked cream sauce with mushrooms, olives, and pimento into golden puff pastry shells. A retro special-occasion dinner straight from the supper-club era.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
25 minREADY
40 minLobster tails in patty shells is a midcentury supper-club special that still earns its place at a dinner party. Cooked lobster meat folds into a rich bechamel made the proper way: butter and flour cooked into a smooth roux first, then milk added in stages so the sauce stays glossy instead of lumping. A pour of cream and a half cup of sauterne lift the whole sauce out of plain cream-sauce territory.
Diced pimento, sliced mushrooms, and chopped olives add color and salt-savory contrast against the sweet lobster. The puff pastry patty shells carry it all and turn each plate into a small showpiece. Bake the shells while you build the sauce so everything lands hot at the same moment.
Chef Tips
- Add the milk to the roux a little at a time, whisking constantly. Dumping it all in at once is the fastest way to lumpy sauce.
- Don’t let the lobster simmer in the sauce for long. A minute or two to warm through is plenty. Extended cooking turns the meat rubbery.
- Toast the patty shells right before serving. Reheated patty shells go soft and lose the contrast with the creamy filling.
- A splash of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens the cream sauce and keeps it from feeling heavy.
Variations
- Swap sauterne for dry sherry or a splash of cognac for a deeper, more savory finish.
- Substitute cooked shrimp or bay scallops for part or all of the lobster for a more accessible mixed seafood version.
- Add a pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika to the sauce for a subtle warm note that plays well against the cream.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook lobster tails according to package directions and remove meat from shells.
Make sauce by melting butter and mixing in flour, working to a smooth paste.
Add milk, a small amount at first, and mix to a creamy paste.
Add remaining milk and cream and salt and cook until well blended.
Pour over lobsters and serve.
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