Recipe For Success From Neci's Master Chef, Michel Leborgne

New England Culinary Institute's (NECI) co-founder Michel LeBorgne shares his 40-plus years of experience by offering insider tips to help home cooks turn an ordinary summer meal into a masterpiece.

A native of Brittany, France, Chef Michel began his culinary education at the age of 14 in some of Europe's most celebrated kitchens. He joined NECI in 1980, helping to found the program now nationally renowned for its unique "learn-it-by-living-it" educational model. In 1988, Chef Michel was inducted into the Mantre Cuisiniers de France (M.C.F.), the prestigious organization of Master Chefs of France, which named him "Chef of the Year" in 1996. Never losing sight of his French roots, Chef Michel says that the beauty of New England often reminds him of home.

"It's easy to be inspired by a New England summer," says Chef Michel. "Local ingredients are the most enjoyable to work with, and in particular, I look forward to fresh-caught Maine lobster. This recipe offers a delicious alternative to the boiled lobster, corn and potatoes that guests expect-so why not surprise them with a sophisticated dish that doesn't call for a bib?"

Chef Michel's cooking tips and recipe for Poached Lobster in Clarified Butter with Gnocchi and Green Pea Sauce are below. A sample photo of the dish is available to media; contact Jo Lipstadt at 617-577-8098 or jo@civettacom.com. For more information on NECI's hands-on learning curriculum, visit www.neci.edu.

Tools, Tips and Techniques

Chef Michel on...

...extracting lobster meat
There are many different methods to extract the meat from a lobster shell. Many chefs simply dive right in with the knife, but for the home cook, I suggest flash boiling the lobsters for 1-2 minutes in heavily salted water with a dash of vinegar. In addition to killing the lobster in a way that is more comfortable for some, this will also help the meat separate from the shell. Remove the lobster from the water and twist its tail off in one motion. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut from the belly towards the head and down each claw. Cut down the belly-side of the tail and spread back the shell. Pull the meat out with a small fork, keeping pieces as intact as possible. Keep as much shell intact as possible as well, as you can use it for garnish later. (If you destroy the shell in the process, don't worry; you can always use it to make lobster bisque!)

...making gnocchi
Many people are familiar with making gnocchi by boiling the potatoes and putting them through a sieve, then using egg and Parmesan as binding agents. A wise chef and dear friend in France taught me a different method. My technique involves baking the potatoes to ensure that they are light and fluffy and then simply using flour to form the balls. The result is light, airy gnocchi that let the subtle flavors of the dish shine through. Try both ways and see what works best for you.

...non-reactive pans
When cooking gnocchi, a non-reactive pan (non-stick with Teflon) is best. Since aluminum pans are good heat conductors, they heat up fast, but can cool too quickly, causing their temperature to fluctuate. Steel pans, which take the longest to heat but also hold heat the best, can cause gnocchi to stick. In this recipe, since the gnocchi are already cooked, the heat of the pan is not as important as making sure the dough doesn't stick.

Poached Lobster in Clarified Butter with Gnocchi and Green Pea Sauce

By Chef Michel LeBorgne, M.C.F., co-founder of New England Culinary Institute

Serves 4 as an appetizer. Active time: 60 minutes.
This dish can easily be prepared in advance. Make the gnocchi and sauce a day before serving the dish.

Ingredients
2 Maine lobsters, 1 1/2 pounds each
1 cup kosher salt
2 Idaho russet potatoes
1/4 cup AP flour
1 pound butter, to be clarified
5 addi