Lobster Stewed in Cream

A one-pan supper dish that assumes you already have cooked lobster on hand. It comes together in about five minutes, and the only real risk is overcooking.

• The hinge: barely heat the lobsterThe meat is already cooked, so "bring to a boil" should mean bringing the cream to a bare simmer and pulling the pan the moment the lobster is hot through, roughly a minute or two. Held at a rolling boil the meat turns fibrous and squeaks against the teeth.
• Quantity of lobsterThe original names no amount. Half a cup of cream would suit the meat of one 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb lobster, which yields roughly 4 to 6 oz of picked meat. That serves one generously or two as a first course.
• Starting with a live lobsterIf you are not buying picked meat, boil or steam the lobster first (about 8 minutes per pound), cool it enough to handle, and pick the tail, claws and knuckles before cutting the meat into bite-size pieces.
• The milk-and-flour alternativeThe parenthetical is a small beurre manié: rub 1 teaspoon flour into an equal amount of soft butter and whisk it into the hot milk to thicken. Give it two or three minutes of gentle simmering so the flour loses its raw taste before the lobster goes in.
• Keep the heat low with creamHalf a cup of cream reduces fast in a wide pan and can separate if held over high heat. Use a small saucepan and moderate heat; unthickened heavy cream is the more forgiving choice.
• SeasoningSalt and pepper is the whole list here. Cayenne or paprika turns up often in period lobster-in-cream recipes, and a few drops of dry sherry or lemon juice at the end lifts the dish.
• Butter-thin crackersVery thin, plain crackers of the soda or water-cracker type. Thin water crackers, common crackers, or plain saltines, briefly toasted, are a reasonable stand-in.