Why it works: Lobster and cream are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,050 recipes. Both carry 1-octen-3-one, which smells mushroom, metallic. The science ↓
Lobster Sauce
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Mash the fresh eggs of the hen lobster and strain through muslin.
Cut the boiled lobster flesh into convenient pieces and dust with flour.
Make the sauce
In a saucepan, melt sufficient butter and cream (or milk) over gentle heat.
Add the lobster pieces and stir constantly until dissolved.
Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, then add the strained eggs.
Remove from heat when it turns a brilliant red color.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Lobster + creamtop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,050 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).
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Butter + creamtop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together41,516 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
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Butter + flourtop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together124,287 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Egg + flourtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together106,462 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Egg + buttertop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together118,967 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
Butter and flour barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 124,287 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Fresh eggs of hen lobster
- Provide the red color and a rich, savory flavor to the finished sauce.
- Boiled lobster flesh
- Supplies the main lobster flavor and meaty texture of the sauce.
- Butter
- Adds fat for a smooth, rich mouthfeel and carries flavor.
- Cream or milk
- Forms the liquid base, adding body and a smooth, creamy texture.
- Flour
- Lightly coats the lobster pieces and helps thicken the sauce.
The step that matters
Remove from heat when it turns a brilliant red color. Egg roe and lobster proteins set and can curdle or turn grainy if overheated. Removing the pan as soon as the color changes keeps the sauce smooth and prevents overcooking.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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