Lobster Newburg al la Delmonico’s in NY
Lobster Newburg à la Delmonico’s is a legendary classic American dish with deep roots in New York City’s iconic Delmonico’s restaurant. It originated in 1876 when sea captain Ben Wenberg (sometimes spelled Wenburg) demonstrated a luxurious lobster preparation to Charles Delmonico. The chef, Charles Ranhofer, refined it and added it to the menu as “Lobster à la Wenberg.” After a dispute between Wenberg and Delmonico, the name was cleverly anagrammed to “Lobster à la Newberg” (later commonly Lobster Newburg) to keep serving it due to popular demand.
The original version from Ranhofer’s 1894 cookbook The Epicurean involves boiling live lobsters, slicing the tails, sautéing in clarified butter, reducing cream, adding Madeira wine, and thickening with egg yolks and more cream—without boiling the final sauce to avoid curdling. It’s rich, creamy, and subtly spiked with wine and a touch of cayenne.
Modern interpretations vary slightly (some use sherry or cognac instead of Madeira, and simpler home versions start with pre-cooked lobster), but the essence remains: tender lobster in a velvety, fortified cream sauce.
Classic Delmonico-Style Lobster Newburg (Adapted from Historical Sources)
This draws closely from Ranhofer’s original and refined versions shared by sources tied to Delmonico’s heritage. Serves 4 as a main course.
Ingredients
- 2 live lobsters (about 1–1.5 lbs each; or ~¾–1 lb cooked lobster meat from larger ones)
- 3–4 Tbsp unsalted butter (clarified if possible for authenticity)
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced carrot
- ½ cup diced celery (mirepoix for flavor base in some modern Delmonico recreations)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste (optional, from some contemporary Delmonico-inspired recipes)
- 2–3 shallots, minced
- ¼ cup Madeira wine (original; or dry sherry/cognac/brandy as common substitutes)
- 2–3 cups heavy cream
- 2–3 egg yolks
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (or paprika)
- Optional: Additional butter for finishing, nutmeg
Instructions
- Cook the lobsters: Boil live lobsters in salted water for about 20–25 minutes (per Ranhofer). Cool, then extract the meat—slice tails into medallions, chop claw/body meat into chunks. Reserve any coral (roe) if present for extra richness.
- Sauté: In a large sauté pan or skillet, heat butter over medium. Add mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) and shallots; cook until softened but not browned. Stir in tomato paste if using, cook briefly.
- Add lobster: Add lobster pieces, season with salt, white pepper, and cayenne. Sauté gently 2–3 minutes to warm through without overcooking.
- Deglaze and reduce: Pour in Madeira (or substitute). Let it reduce slightly, then add heavy cream to cover. Simmer gently to reduce by about half (this concentrates flavor—key to the original’s richness).
- Thicken the sauce: Whisk egg yolks with a bit of cream in a bowl. Temper by slowly adding hot cream mixture, then stir back into the pan off heat (or very low heat). Do not boil—cook gently until thickened to a velvety consistency (like a loose custard). Finish with a pat of butter if desired.
- Serve: Spoon over toast points, puff pastry shells (vol-au-vents), or patty shells for classic presentation. Garnish with chives or paprika.
This dish is decadent and best enjoyed fresh—perfect for special occasions! If you’re in NYC, Delmonico’s still serves versions of it today. For visuals of the finished dish (creamy sauce over lobster in pastry), imagine a luxurious, pale golden plate with chunks of red lobster peeking through. Enjoy! 🦞
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