The stoves are hot and to help celebrate the season, area chefs and businesses are sharing special recipes. PenBayPilot.com is posting recipes and tips throughout the holidays. Enjoy!

"It’s a dish from my first cookbook,” said master chef Michael Salmon from the kitchen of the Hartstone Inn at 41 Elm St. in Camden. “It plays off the sweetness of the beurre blanc sauce and the sweetness of the lobster."

The lobster is served sans shell, which means a little more work for the chef and a lot less trouble for the guest — and leaving them more time to compliment you on how good the dish is, of course.

“It’s easier to eat for the gourmet restaurant and a little more approachable for finer dining,” said Salmon. “Prep time is about 20 minutes for the lobster and the pasta. Your lobster alone will need to cook for 12 minutes. Then the beurre blanc sauce will take another 20 minutes to prepare, so I think you’re looking at an hour easy to prepare this dish for four people.”

Maine Lobster with Vanilla Beurre Blanc

Ingredients:
Four 1-1/2 pound live Maine Lobsters
2 Carrots, medium size
24 Asparagus Spears, pencil size
4 tsp. Unsalted Butter
1/2 pound Angel Hair Pasta
Kosher salt and white pepper to taste
2 tsp. Chopped Chives
1 batch Vanilla Beurre Blanc Sauce (Recipe follows)

1. In a nine quart pot, add 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Add lobsters and cook 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Remove and cool. Reserve the liquid.  When lobsters are cool enough to handle remove claw, knuckle and tail meat, discarding the vein.
3. Cut off the tail fin to use as a garnish.
4. Place the meat on an ovenproof pan and add 1/8 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Cover with foil and set aside.
5. Peel carrots and julienne into 2-1/2-inch lengths and an 1/8-inch wide. Cut off the bottom white sections of the asparagus and peel the lower end of the tough outer skin. Blanch in a large pot of salted water for one minute and immediately place in a bowl of ice water to cool.
6. Place the covered lobster in a 350 F oven to heat. Cook the pasta in salted water, according to package directions, until al dente. Heat the carrots and asparagus in separate pans using 2 tsp. of butter each.
7. Drain the pasta and add half the beurre blanc sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.
8. Remove lobster from oven. Make a small nest of pasta in the center of the plate.  Fan out three asparagus spears on each side of the pasta to represent the legs of the lobster. Put carrots on each side and at the head. Place the tail on top of the pasta nest and put the fanned out fin at the bottom of the tail. Place the claws and knuckle meat at the top of the plate and add the remaining Vanilla beurre blanc sauce. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve immediately.

 Vanilla Beurre Blanc Sauce

4 Tbs. Unsalted Butter
1 Tbs. Canola Oil
1 small Yellow Onion, chopped very fine
1/2 cup White Wine
2 Tbs. White Wine Vinegar
1 small Bay Leaf
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Vanilla Bean or 1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Dice the butter and bring to room temperature.
2. Heat the oil in a small 2-quart saucepan and sauté the onions over a medium heat for two minutes, but do not allow them to brown.
3. Deglaze with white wine and vinegar. Add the bay leaf and reduce over medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated. Again, do not let the mixture brown.
4. Add the heavy cream and reduce the mixture by half, whisking occasionally.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in the butter until well incorporated. 
6. Slice the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds from half a bean. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl, discarding the solids. Add to sauce.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Store in a warm place (not to hot) until serving.

2013 Holiday Cooking Tips:

• Whale’s Tooth Pub: Roasted Balsamic Onion with Gorgonzola and Hollandaise

• Salt Water Farm: Hot and Hearty Chicken and Dumpling Soup

• Shepherd’s Pie: Cool Beet Salad, lives up to its name

• Salt Water Farm: Roasted Delicata Squash in Brown Butter

• Hartstone Inn: Holiday cooking tips: Lobster and Vanilla Beurre Blanc Sauce

2012 Holiday Cooking Tips:

• Francine Bistro: Brussels Sprouts Salad

• Darby's Restaurant: Pan Seared Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Apricot Brandy Mushroom Sauce

• Delvino's: White Chocolate Candy Cane Martini

• Fresh: Fresh Pastitsio

• Park Street Grille: Braised Duck Adobo

• Graffam Bros. Seafood Market: Lobster Mac and Cheese

• Shepherd's Pie: Roasted Mussels with Cedar Leaf; Roasted Cauliflower with Rhode Island Sauce

• Chocolate Drop Candy Shoppe: Eggnog Milkshake and Chocolate Peppermint Sundae