Classic Lobster Newburg Recipe

Classic lobster Newburg is a fancy hors d'oeuvre that looks and feels like the perfect 1980s appetizer. It's made out of small puff pastry shells that are filled with lobster meat that has been cooked in cream and Madeira wine, and thickened with an egg. You can pop it in your mouth from a party tray in one or two bites, or grab a couple and pair them with a salad for a light lunch. What could be more decadent than that? Yet this little appetizer is deceptively easy to make, says food blogger and photographer Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table. You'll be amazed to discover how quickly it comes together, and how good it tastes when it's all wrapped up in a pretty little puff pastry package.

Despite its European-sounding name, lobster Newburg is a classic American dish that is attributed to Delmonico's Steakhouse in New York City. In its original iteration, lobster Newburg was served in chafing dishes at fancy family dinners and at any restaurant that considered itself classy.

Nowadays, it's rare to find lobster Newburg on restaurant menus, but it remains a classic dinner party favorite. Serve it inside puff pastry shells or with toast points for an easy, elegant appetizer that comes together in minutes. Consider making this delightful bite for your next impressive dinner party or get-together.

First, let's get the answer to your big question out of the way: No, you do not need to cook a live lobster to make lobster Newburg. For this classic dish, you can use fresh lobster or lobster tail meat. You can also substitute frozen or even canned lobster meat for the fresh version.

Other than lobster meat, we will use butter, egg yolks, heavy cream, and dry sherry or Madeira wine in our filling. The only seasoning we need is fresh parsley, salt, and nutmeg (or chili powder), a subtle slate of spices meant to not overpower the delicate flavor of the lobster meat.

Finally, to serve lobster Newburg, you can use puff pastry shells or even just a simple slice of toast. If using toast, it is customary to cut it into triangles or crustless squares for a classic, neat visual presentation.

First, you'll need to gather and prep all the ingredients for lobster Newburg. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites (and no need to throw them away, as you can use the whites later to make meringues or an egg white omelet). Dice the parsley. If extracting your meat from fresh lobster, make sure you cut the lobster shell carefully and avoid cutting yourself. If using frozen puff pastry shells, arrange them on a baking sheet and bake according to package instructions. Otherwise, prepare the toast and set it aside.

The rest of the ingredients require little manipulation, but we recommend you get them all measured out and organized by the stovetop, as the preparation of this dish goes fairly quickly. Plus, the trick of getting everything measured and set out ahead of time — often called mise en place — is a great habit to cultivate in your kitchen adventures.

Preheat a large pan to medium heat. Melt the butter in the pan and add in diced lobster meat. Cook for two minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the Madeira wine or sherry and cook for an additional minute. Remove lobster meat from the pan and set aside. Move quickly and don't linger, as you don't want to overcook this delicate protein.

Now, into the pan, gradually add the cream to the remaining sauce, and whisk until the sauce thickens. Do not let the Newburg sauce come to a boil. This may cause it to split later on and will thin out the cream.

Remove a tablespoon of sauce from the pan and add it to beaten egg yolks, stirring it in quickly. This is what's called "tempering" the eggs, a move that gradually raises their temperature and helps to ensure they don't curdle or scramble once added to the hot pan. Otherwise, the shock of the cold eggs coming into contact with a hot sauce can result in scrambled eggs, or at least a very grainy sauce.

Reduce the heat to low and gradually add the tempered egg yolks to the pan with the sauce. Stir in the yolks and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for two minutes.

Now that the egg yolks have been incorporated into the sauce, add the salt, followed by the nutmeg or chili powder to the pan. A few words about the spice choice you face here: Nutmeg is often used as part of aromatic, creamy European dishes. It has a slight spice to it, but it mostly just adds a warm and fragrant undertone that helps lighten up very rich dishes. These days, chili powder can provide much of the same desired effect, but with a sharper, spicier flavor. If you're a fan of heat and spice, you may want to add the chili powder in place of the more traditional nutmeg.

Return the lobster meat back to the pan. If your sauce splits at this point, add more cream one tablespoon at a time and whisk to bind it again. Cook the lobster Newburg filling over low heat for one to two minutes more, just until lobster is heated through. Remove from heat.

Though in the past it was customary to keep lobster Newburg filling warm in chafing dishes, we recommend skipping this step and bringing it to the table immediately or alongside a delicious pastry with which you can soak up that creamy, wine-tinged sauce.

Serve classic lobster Newburg inside baked puff pastry shells or on top of toast (crustless triangles or squares are the traditional presentations). Sprinkle with fresh parsley immediately before serving.

Lobster Newburg is best eaten immediately. Though it will keep for a few days in the fridge in a sealed container, reheating it can result in a grainy sauce and soggy puff pastry shells.

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Like many classic dishes, the history of lobster Newburg is shrouded in mystery, and the story changes according to the telling of it. However, many of these stories are tied to Delmonico's in New York City. The earliest claim goes to Louis Fauchere, a French chef who opened a restaurant in Milford, Pennsylvania, in 1867 and showcased lobster Newburg as his signature dish. Though he claimed to have invented lobster Newburg, he also happened to work at Delmonico's Restaurant before he moved to Milford, so it's not impossible that he learned the technique there. 

In fact, the theory that has gained the most traction is that the dish was invented at Delmonico's itself. Delmonico's opened in 1827 and was frequented by celebrities and politicians of the day, including Teddy Roosevelt and Mark Twain. Delmonico's is credited for changing the way restaurants did business, as well as with the invention of quite a few classic recipes, including Delmonico potatoes, Delmonico Steak, Eggs Benedict, Baked Alaska, and Chicken à la King. Apparently, in 1876, a sea captain whipped up lobster Newburg in a chafing dish to teach Charles Delmonico a new method for cooking lobster that he picked up along his travels. The recipe was further tweaked by the restaurant's own chef to become the dish that was all the rage in the 1880s and the 1980s alike — and that still deserves a special place at the table today.

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