Lobster Pâté With Pistachios

4 to 8 servings (makes a generous 2 cups)

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1/2 cup shelled unsalted raw pistachio nuts

4 tablespoons lobster butter (may sub softened unsalted high-fat butter; see NOTE)

4 ounces flounder fillet or other tender, sweet white fish, cut into 1-inch chunks

11/2 cups cooked lobster meat, including some body meat and fat, if possible, and any coral (from two 1-pound soft-shell lobsters or use frozen/defrosted)

2 teaspoons cognac or brandy

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed

A few gratings of nutmeg

Salmon roe, for garnish (optional)

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1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

2. Spread the nuts in a shallow pan; toast them in the oven (middle rack) for 10 minutes, or just until fragrant. Coarsely chop the still-warm toasted pistachios.

3. Combine the lobster butter and fish in a saute pan over low heat; cook for about 3 minutes or until the fish turns opaque.

4. Transfer the fish and the butter to a food processor; add 1 cup of the lobster meat and any coral, if that's available. Pulse, and then puree until smooth.

5. Add the cognac or brandy, salt and nutmeg; puree until well incorporated. Remove the blade from the food processor bowl, scraping off as much of the pâté mixture as possible.

6. Coarsely chop the remaining 1/2 cup of lobster meat and add to the mixture, along with the chopped toasted pistachios. Stir gently to incorporate. Taste and add more salt, as needed.

7. Transfer to a crock or serving container with a tight-fitting lid. Seal and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Serve garnished with salmon roe, if desired and crusty French bread.

Note: To make the lobster butter, break up the spent shells of a 1-pound cooked lobster into small pieces. Place them in a deep saucepan along with 4 ounces (8 tablespoons) of good-quality, high-fat, unsalted butter over low heat, stirring to incorporate, until the butter has melted. After a few minutes, turn off the heat and let steep for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer the shells and melted butter to a fine-mesh strainer, using your clean hands to extract as much of the butter as possible from the shells. Discard them. The yield should be at least 4 tablespoons, all of which you will need for this recipe.

Make ahead: The pâté needs to be refrigerated for 2 or 3 hours before serving, and up to 3 days.

- Adapted from a recipe in the

September-October 1984 issueof Yankee magazine

Per serving (based on 8): 130 calories, 8 g protein, 2 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 280 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugar

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