This is what I made as a personal chef in Beverly Hills. Butter poached lobster

Ingredients

• 2 pieces Japanese Eggplant (about 1 lb total, sliced ½‑inch thick)
• 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt (for drawing out moisture from eggplant)
• 4 tablespoons Olive Oil (extra‑virgin, divided)
• 1 medium Onion (diced)
• 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste (caramelized before adding liquid)
• 28 ounces Pureed Tomatoes (canned crushed tomatoes)
• 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda (to reduce acidity)
• 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar (for a slightly sweeter sauce)
• ½ cup Fresh Basil (torn, added off‑heat)
• ½ cup All-Purpose Flour (for dredging eggplant)
• 2 large Eggs (beaten, for egg wash)
• 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs (Japanese style, toasted)
• ¾ cup Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated; ½ cup for breadcrumb mix, ¼ cup for sauce)
• 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)
• ½ cup Fresh Chives (trimmed)
• ½ cup Garlic Chives (trimmed)
• 2 tablespoons Avocado Oil (for blending chive oil)
• 4 pieces Lobster Tails (6 oz each, shells intact)
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter (cold, cut into cubes for burblanc)
• 2 small Shallot (minced)
• ½ cup White Wine (dry, for deglazing)
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1 pound Asparagus (trimmed, spears)
• 200 grams Dark Chocolate (70 % cacao, melted)
• 100 grams Unsalted Butter (for brownie) (melted)
• 150 grams Granulated Sugar (for brownie)
• 2 large Eggs (for brownie)
• 100 grams All-Purpose Flour (for brownie)
• 30 grams Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)
• 4 scoops Vanilla Ice Cream (for serving with brownie)

Instructions

1. Salt Eggplant Overnight

   Slice the Japanese eggplants into ½‑inch rounds, place in a colander, sprinkle with 1 Tbsp kosher salt, toss, and let sit uncovered in the refrigerator overnight to draw out moisture.

   Time: PT5M

2. Prepare Chive Oil

   Trim fresh chives and garlic chives, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, shock in ice water, squeeze dry, then blend with 2 Tbsp avocado oil until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, then again through a paper towel to achieve a clear green oil.

   Time: PT10M

3. Make Marinara Sauce

   In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt; sweat until translucent (≈5 min). Add minced garlic and 2 Tbsp tomato paste; cook, stirring, until the paste darkens and caramelizes (≈8 min). Stir in 28 oz pureed tomatoes, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp sugar, and additional salt to taste. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Finish with a handful of torn fresh basil off the heat.

   Time: PT4H

4. Bread and Bake Eggplant

   Preheat oven to 400°F. Set up a breading station: bowl 1 with ½ cup flour, bowl 2 with beaten eggs, bowl 3 with a mix of 1 cup panko, ½ cup grated Parmesan, and Italian seasoning. Dredge each eggplant slice in flour, dip in egg, then coat with panko mixture. Place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, spray lightly with olive oil. Bake 20 min, flip, spray again, and bake another 15 min until golden and crisp.

   Time: PT35M

   Temperature: 400°F

5. Assemble Eggplant Parmesan

   In a 9×13‑inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of marinara, then layer baked eggplant, sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan, add more marinara, and top with shredded mozzarella. Repeat layers, finishing with mozzarella on top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

   Time: PT10M

6. Bake Eggplant Parmesan

   Bake covered at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden.

   Time: PT35M

   Temperature: 375°F

7. Prepare Butter‑Poached Lobster Tails

   Insert a long spoon through the lobster’s vent to keep the tail straight. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add lobster tails and blanch for 90 seconds. Transfer immediately to an ice bath to stop cooking. Remove the spoons and gently pull the meat from the shells, keeping it whole.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: boiling

8. Make Burblanc Sauce

   In a saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp butter over medium heat, add minced shallots and sweat until translucent (≈2 min). Deglaze with ½ cup white wine, reduce by half. Reduce heat to low and whisk in cold butter cubes a few at a time, maintaining a smooth emulsion. Finish with 1 Tbsp lemon juice and a drizzle of the prepared chive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

   Time: PT15M

9. Vacuum‑Seal Lobster with Burblanc

   Place each lobster tail into a vacuum‑seal bag (or zip‑lock bag using the water‑displacement method) with enough burblanc to coat. Seal tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

   Time: PT2M

10. Pan‑Roast Asparagus

    Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium‑high heat. Add trimmed asparagus spears, season with salt and pepper, and sauté 8‑10 minutes until tender‑crisp and lightly charred.

    Time: PT10M

11. Plate the Dish

    On each plate, spoon a thin line of marinara, place a generous portion of eggplant parmesan, top with a butter‑poached lobster tail, arrange roasted asparagus beside it, and drizzle burblanc sauce over the lobster and asparagus. Garnish with extra chive oil strands and, if desired, a small spoon of caviar.

    Time: PT10M

12. Brownie Cake Dessert

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 200 g dark chocolate with 100 g butter. In a bowl, whisk 150 g sugar, 2 eggs, then fold in melted chocolate‑butter mixture, 100 g flour, and 30 g cocoa powder. Pour into a greased 8‑inch square pan and bake 20‑25 minutes until the center is set but fudgy. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

    Time: PT30M

    Temperature: 350°F

Nutrition Facts

Calories

820

Protein

35 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

45 g

Fiber

8 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Japanese Eggplant: Italian eggplant
• Instead of Kosher Salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Olive Oil: vegetable oil
• Instead of Onion: shallot
• Instead of Garlic: garlic paste
• Instead of Tomato Paste: sun‑dried tomato puree
• Instead of Pureed Tomatoes: fresh ripe tomatoes, blended
• Instead of Italian Seasoning: dried oregano and basil mix
• Instead of Baking Soda: baking powder (use half amount)
• Instead of Granulated Sugar: honey (½ tsp)
• Instead of Fresh Basil: Thai basil
• Instead of All-Purpose Flour: gluten‑free flour blend
• Instead of Eggs: 1 cup liquid egg substitute
• Instead of Panko Breadcrumbs: regular breadcrumbs
• Instead of Parmesan Cheese: Pecorino Romano
• Instead of Mozzarella Cheese: provolone
• Instead of Fresh Chives: green onions
• Instead of Garlic Chives: regular chives
• Instead of Avocado Oil: extra‑virgin olive oil
• Instead of Lobster Tails: large shrimp
• Instead of Unsalted Butter: clarified butter
• Instead of Shallot: ½ small onion
• Instead of White Wine: chicken broth
• Instead of Lemon Juice: white wine vinegar (½ tsp)
• Instead of Asparagus: green beans
• Instead of Dark Chocolate: semi‑sweet chocolate
• Instead of Unsalted Butter (for brownie): margarine
• Instead of Granulated Sugar (for brownie): coconut sugar
• Instead of Eggs (for brownie): applesauce (¼ cup)
• Instead of All-Purpose Flour (for brownie): gluten‑free flour
• Instead of Cocoa Powder: raw cacao powder
• Instead of Vanilla Ice Cream: vanilla frozen yogurt

Equipment Needed

• Large Skillet
• Saucepan
• Fine Mesh Strainer
• Paper Towels
• Baking Sheet
• Wire Rack
• Oven
• Mixing Bowls
• Whisk
• Vacuum Sealer or Zip‑Lock Bag (optional)
• Ice Bath Container
• Aluminum Foil
• Spray Bottle (olive oil) (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Caramelizing the tomato paste to remove raw acidity
• Salting and drying the eggplant slices to prevent sogginess
• Maintaining a cold butter emulsion when making burblanc
• Blanching lobster briefly to keep the interior raw before finishing in sauce

Chef Tips from the Video

• Japanese eggplants have fewer seeds and a milder flavor, making them ideal for parm.
• Caramelizing tomato paste is the secret to a deep, sweet marinara.
• Use a spray bottle for a light, even coat of oil on the breaded eggplant.
• Finish the burblanc with a splash of lemon juice for brightness.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Marinara, eggplant parm, and burblanc sauce keep up to 3 days; reheat gently.

Freezer: Eggplant parm freezes well for up to 2 months; thaw overnight before reheating.

Room temperature: Brownie cake can sit at room temperature for 2 days, covered.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Marinara sauce improves after 4 hours; make it a day ahead and refrigerate.
• Chive oil can be prepared up to 3 days in advance; store in a sealed jar.
• Salted eggplant slices can be dried and stored in the fridge overnight.
• Burblanc sauce can be made ahead and gently reheated over low heat.

Frequently Asked Questions