INGREDIENTS:
Ricotta Gnocchi:
16 ounces ricotta cheese, drained
1 large egg
2 teaspoons truffle oil
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups flour, or as needed
Emulsified Butter:
2 pounds cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
Maine Lobster in Sage-Butter Sauce:
16 ounces cooked, shelled Maine lobster meat
6 morel mushrooms (medium size)
2 cups emulsified butter (see above)
2 teaspoons truffle oil
Fleur de sel sea salt or
kosher salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Finish and Serve:
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 teaspoons Maine Lobster Dust
(optional; see below)
Lobster Dust (garnish):
2 tablespoons lobster roe
1/2 cup water
DIRECTIONS:
To Make the Ricotta Gnocchi:
• Place ricotta in a large stainless-steel bowl. Make a well in the center of the cheese and add the egg, oils and salt. Using a fork, very slowly work the flour into the wet ingredients until the flour has been incorporated. Dough should be soft but not sticky; amount of flour needed may vary. Place the dough in a floured cloth and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Dust a clean work surface lightly with flour. Using your hands, roll pieces of dough out to logs approximately 1/2 inch in diameter and 12 inches long. Cut the logs into 1-inch lengths. Form gnocchi by pinching the pieces to flatten them lightly, then roll them one by one over the surface of your palm with the index finger of your other hand. (Remember that if the gnocchi dough is too moist just dust them with a little flour.)
• When ready to cook, bring 1 gallon of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Gently place gnocchi into the water and cook them until they begin to float. Do not over cook.
To Make the Emulsified Butter:
• In a stainless-steel 2-quart saucepan, bring a half cup of water to a boil. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the water, discard the rest, and return the 2 tablespoons to the pot. Reduce the heat and whisk in the butter little by little until all has been incorporated. Set aside 2 cups for the Maine Lobster; leftover butter can be saved for another use.
To Make the Maine Lobster in Sage-Butter Sauce:
• Slice Maine Lobster meat and mushrooms thinly on the bias and add to the emulsified butter. Heat gently until Maine Lobster and mushrooms are just warmed through. Gently stir in truffle oil, salt, pepper, sage leaves and lemon juice.
Finish and Serve:
• Gently add cooked gnocchi to the lobster and sage-butter sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan and Maine lobster dust and serve hot in a warm bowl.
To Make the Maine Lobster Dust:
• Remove lobster roe from live Maine lobsters and remove and discard as much of the membrane between the egg sacks as possible. Place roe and water in a small saucepan and gently poach, uncovered, until all of the water has evaporated. Continue to dehydrate the roe until it is very dry.
• Place dried roe into a spice grinder and grind until powdery. You can use the Maine Lobster dust to season butters, sauces or sprinkle on top of dishes as a garnish.
