Broiled Lobsters With Sichuan Peppercorns

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Place a small, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the peppercorns and cook, shaking the pan, until they are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer them to a mortar and crush coarsely, or place on a cutting board and crush with the side of a knife. Set aside.

2. Step 2

   Place the shallot and wine in a small saucepan and simmer until the mixture is almost dry, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat as low as possible and whisk in the diced butter a chunk at a time. Season with sea salt. Set aside.

3. Step 3

   Place a small-enough cutting board in a sheet pan. (This will catch the lobster juices.) Lay a lobster on the cutting board. Place the tip of a large, heavy knife at the indentation where the carapace meets the lobster head, insuring that the cutting blade is facing toward the lobster's eyes. Swiftly and forcefully, plunge the knife through the lobster until the knife point hits the cutting board. Immediately force the blade down, splitting the lobster's head. (Although it's dead, it may still move.) Continue splitting the lobster so that the head and tail are split. Repeat with the remaining lobster.

4. Step 4

   Remove and discard the intestine from the tail as well as the spongy green parts from the body. Twist off the claws, and using the flat of the knife, crack each claw and remove some of the shell to expose as much of the meat as possible.

5. Step 5

   Preheat the broiler. In a roasting pan just large enough to hold the lobster pieces in a single layer, scatter all but 1½ teaspoons of the cracked peppercorns. Lay the lobster pieces, flesh side up, in the pan and baste the shells and meat generously with some of the butter sauce and sprinkle them with the reserved peppercorns. Season the meat lightly with sea salt.

6. Step 6

   Broil the lobsters about 8 inches from the heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush again with butter sauce and broil until the meat is just opaque, 4 to 5 more minutes. Transfer the pieces to plates, surround with some of the peppercorns from the pan, garnish with chervil and serve.