Turmeric-Poached Egg Sandwich with Lobster Gravy

Active Time:

2 hrs 30 mins

Total Time:

4 hrs 30 mins

Yield:

6 servings

Frequently asked questions

Can you eat lobster for breakfast?

We're of the mindset that having lobster for breakfast practically ensures a great day ahead; pairing lobster and eggs is the natural way to go. Yes, you could simply add lobster to your scramble (a great use of last night's leftovers!), but adding fresh lobster meat to homemade gravy and serving it over just-baked chive biscuits with a turmeric-poached egg makes for the ultimate breakfast experience.

Why add vinegar to poached eggs?

Once you've prepared the biscuits and gravy, it's finally time to poach your eggs. To make all six, you'll need to bring eight cups of water to a simmer, then add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and two teaspoons turmeric before poaching the eggs. The vinegar serves a very specific function here: Its acidity helps to set the whites quickly, ensuring they don't turn wispy.

Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

This decadent brunch dish is reminiscent of crawfish étouffée but with the West Coast vibes found all over the menu at chef Brooke Williamson's beachside restaurant complex, Playa Provisions. Lobster lends the gravy rich flavor, while the turmeric eggs add a sunny pop of color. Make the lobster gravy a day ahead and reheat it gently to make brunch an easier lift.

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Ingredients

Chive Biscuits

2 cups (about 8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, plus more for brushing biscuits
1/2 cup whole buttermilk, plus more if needed
1/2 cup very finely chopped fresh chives

Lobster Gravy

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 (1 1/4- to 1 1/2-pound each) live lobsters
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large (16-ounce) fennel bulb, stalks and fronds trimmed, bulb cut into small cubes (about 3 cups)
1 large (14-ounce) white onion, cut into small cubes (about 2 cups)
1 medium (3-ounce) carrot, peeled and cut into small cubes (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium (about 1-ounce) celery stalk, cut into small cubes (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
2 quarts lobster broth or lower-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 whole star anise
2 teaspoons cold unsalted butter
3 teaspoons kosher salt

Turmeric-Poached Eggs

8 cups water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
6 large eggs, cold

Additional Ingredients

Very finely chopped fresh chives
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Prepare the Chive Biscuits

Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl to combine. Add butter; using your fingertips, smear each cube of butter into the dry ingredients. Toss to evenly distribute butter into dry ingredients. Add cream, buttermilk, and chives. Using your hands, combine wet ingredients into dry ingredients by tossing very lightly and gently, adding more buttermilk if dough is too dry.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and pat out to a 7- x 5-inch rectangle. Using a bench knife, fold one-third of dough lengthwise over onto center of dough. Fold the remaining third of dough over on top, folding the dough up like a letter. Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out six biscuits. Place biscuits on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F.
Brush frozen biscuits evenly with cream and sprinkle with additional salt, about 1/4 teaspoon or more to taste. Bake in preheated oven until biscuits are puffed and barely golden brown, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Prepare the Lobster Gravy

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium. Add flour; cook, stirring often, until pale golden in color, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set roux aside.
Working in two batches, cook lobsters in a large pot of boiling salted water until tail meat is firm and opaque, 12 to 18 minutes per batch. Remove from water. Let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Using a mallet and kitchen shears, crack lobster shells and remove meat from tails and claws. Coarsely chop lobster meat and transfer to a large bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Reserve all shells; discard gills.
Heat oil in a separate large pot over medium-high. Add lobster shells; cook, stirring often, until well browned, about 6 minutes. Add fennel, onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring often, until lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring often, until color becomes a reddish brown, about 2 minutes. Add wine, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Cook, undisturbed, until wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add broth, paprika, cayenne, star anise, and roux. Whisk to incorporate the roux. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Pour lobster sauce through a strainer into a large heatproof bowl and discard solids; return sauce to pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high; boil, stirring often, until reduced to sauce consistency and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Whisk cold butter into sauce. Add reserved lobster meat and bring to a simmer over medium. Simmer, undisturbed, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt.

Prepare the Turmeric-Poached Eggs

Bring water to a simmer in a medium pot over medium. Whisk in vinegar and turmeric. Crack each egg into a small individual bowl. Working with one egg at a time, gently slip eggs into simmering water. Cook eggs until whites are set but yolks are still runny, 3 to 4 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to a paper towel-lined plate to soak up any water. Eggs may be covered with plastic wrap and kept at room temperature up to 1 hour, or covered and stored in refrigerator up to 1 day (reheat in simmering water until warm, about 1 minute).

Assemble the plate

Cut Chive Biscuits in half horizontally to split. Arrange biscuits evenly, cut sides up, among six plates. Top evenly with Lobster Gravy and Turmeric-Poached Eggs. Garnish with chives and black pepper.