DÉJÀ VU

Serves 6

This dish is inspired by the movie The Matrix. Lobster, crème fraîche, and grapes are a wonderful combination. We carbonize the grapes so they taste fizzy and wake up your tongue. Then there’s sweet, tender lobster meat, just barely poached in butter, and the softness of the seasoned crème fraîche to bring it all together. Finally, you eat an edible picture of the dish, printed on rice paper seasoned with nori, freeze-dried grapes, and buttermilk.

It’s déjà vu—that feeling that you’ve seen something before.

CO2 GRAPES:

12 red seedless grapes

12 green seedless grapes

PHOTOS:

10 grams nori

20 grams freeze-dried grapes (see Sources, here)

5 grams buttermilk powder

3 grams salt

CRÈME FRAÎCHE:

25 grams crème fraîche

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

5 grams freeze-dried shallots (see Sources, here)

2 grams salt

LOBSTER:

300 grams cooked lobster tail meat (from one 10- to 12-ounce lobster tail, or about two 1-pound lobsters, tails removed and bodies reserved for another use)

200 grams unsalted butter

TO FINISH:

42 grams trout roe (see Sources, here)

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

Whipped cream canister and CO2 charges (see Sources, here)

Edible paper for printing (see Sources, here)

Printer and ink for edible printing (see Sources, here)

Handheld steamer (optional)

CO2 GRAPES:

Rinse the grapes under cold running water. Put them in a whipped cream canister and charge with two CO2 charges. Refrigerate, still in the canisters, for at least 1 hour, though 24 hours is needed for the grapes to fully absorb the CO2. The grapes will keep in the pressurized chamber for up to 3 days.

PHOTOS:

Print 6 small photos of lobsters and grapes on a piece of edible paper.

Tear a sheet of nori into tiny pieces and put it in a spice grinder. Grind the nori to a fine powder. Add the freeze-dried grapes, buttermilk powder, and salt to the spice grinder. Grind to a fine powder for seasoning the paper.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay the sheet of edible paper, picture side down, on the parchment. Steam the paper with a handheld steamer or brush the back of the paper lightly with boiling water to soften the top layer and make it sticky. Use a small strainer to dust the seasoned powder in an even layer on the back of the damp paper. Put another sheet of parchment on top of the seasoned paper and place a cutting board on top of the parchment to press the paper. Once the paper is dry, after 20 to 30 minutes, use a paper cutter or sharp knife to cut out the pictures into individual bites. Reserve in an airtight container until ready to plate.

CRÈME FRAÎCHE:

Put the crème fraîche in a bowl. Add the lemon zest, shallots, and salt and mix until incorporated. Refrigerate in a covered container until ready to serve, up to 5 days.

LOBSTER:

Cut the lobster tail into 6 equal pieces. Put the butter in a medium saucepot set over medium heat and bring to 140°F. Add the lobster and cook in the warm butter for 2 minutes, until heated through.

TO FINISH:

Just before you’re ready to serve the dish, release the gas from the whipped cream container: stand it upright on a counter, and hold a cup loosely over the nozzle tip to keep the cold gas from blowing in your face. Pulse the lever until all the gas has been expelled. Then unscrew the top and release the grapes.

Put 1 portion of the lobster in the bottom of a rocks glass. Add 7 grams of trout roe. Add 2 red grapes and 2 green grapes to the glass. Top with a spoonful of Crème Fraîche. Set the edible paper onto edge of the glass and use a small clip to hold it in place. Alternatively, you can lay it diagonally across the top of the glass.