-
1
Place a small, heavy skillet over medium heat.
-
2
Add the peppercorns and cook, shaking the pan, until they are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
-
3
Transfer them to a mortar and crush coarsely, or place on a cutting board and crush with the side of a knife.
-
4
Set aside.
-
5
Place the shallot and wine in a small saucepan and simmer until the mixture is almost dry, 5 to 6 minutes.
-
6
Reduce the heat as low as possible and whisk in the diced butter a chunk at a time.
-
7
Season with sea salt.
-
8
Set aside.
-
9
Place a small-enough cutting board in a sheet pan.
-
10
(This will catch the lobster juices.)
-
11
Lay a lobster on the cutting board.
-
12
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.
-
13
Swiftly and forcefully, plunge the knife through the lobster until the knife point hits the cutting board.
-
14
Immediately force the blade down, splitting the lobster's head.
-
15
(Although it's dead, it may still move.)
-
16
Continue splitting the lobster so that the head and tail are split.
-
17
Repeat with the remaining lobster.
-
18
Remove and discard the intestine from the tail as well as the spongy green parts from the body.
-
19
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.
-
20
Preheat the broiler.
-
21
In a roasting pan just large enough to hold the lobster pieces in a single layer, scatter all but 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cracked peppercorns.
-
22
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.
-
23
Season the meat lightly with sea salt.
-
24
Broil the lobsters about 8 inches from the heat for 5 minutes.
-
25
Remove from the oven, brush again with butter sauce and broil until the meat is just opaque, 4 to 5 more minutes.
-
26
Transfer the pieces to plates, surround with some of the peppercorns from the pan, garnish with chervil and serve.
