Lobster Americaine with Rice and Haricots Verts

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Plunge in the lobsters head first, cover and simmer over moderate heat for 17 minutes. Transfer the lobsters to a large bowl and let cool for about 1 hour.

Working over the bowl to catch the liquid, detach the lobster tails from the bodies. Using kitchen shears, snip through the soft underside of the tail shells and remove the meat. Twist off the claws, crack them open and remove the meat. Pull out and discard the intestinal vein that runs down the tail. Cut the lobster meat into 1/2-inch pieces and add it to the bowl. Discard the sand sac behind the eyes and chop the shells and head into 1-inch pieces.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy, nonreactive saucepan. Add the onion and carrot and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly colored, about 3 minutes. Add the lobster shells and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes longer. Add the Cognac and ignite with a match. Cook until the flame burns out, about 1 minute.

Add the wine, tomatoes, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 5 cups of water to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, for 50 minutes. Pass the stock through a fine strainer into a large clean saucepan and discard the solids. Add any liquid from the lobster meat and boil over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Season the stock with salt and pepper.

In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the haricots verts over moderately high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and keep warm.

In a small bowl, work the butter into the flour to form a paste, then whisk the paste into the hot lobster stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low, add the lobster meat, tarragon and half of the chives and stir until warmed through.

MAKE AHEAD: The recipe can be prepared through Step 4 up to 4 hours ahead. Cover and let the lobster meat and stock stand separately at room temperature. Rewarm the stock before proceeding.

NOTES: ONE SERVING: Calories 458 kcal, Protein 24 gm, Carbohydrate 72 gm, Cholesterol 57 smg, Total Fat 5.7 gm, Saturated Fat 1.3 gm

WINE RECOMMENDATION:

The intense, savory flavors of the soup and the lobster sauce suggest a dry, crisp white. A 1993 California Sauvignon Blanc, such as Lakewood or Dry Creek, would do nicely.