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1
Preheat the oven to 350.
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2
Drizzle the pumpkin halves with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
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3
Wrap each half tightly in foil and bake on a large cookie sheet for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until tender.
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4
Let cool slightly, then scoop the pumpkin flesh into a bowl.
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5
Meanwhile, bring a stockpot of water to a boil.
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6
Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
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7
Salt the boiling water and add the lobsters.
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8
Cover and cook over high heat for 3 minutes.
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9
Using tongs, transfer the lobsters to the ice water and let cool.
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10
Twist off the heads and reserve.
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11
Crack the claws and remove the meat in 1 piece.
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12
Using a heavy knife, halve the lobster tails lengthwise, cutting through the meat and the shells.
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13
Remove the dark intestinal veins from the tails.
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14
Transfer the lobster tails and the claw meat to a large baking sheet; refrigerate.
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15
Clean out the lobster heads with a spoon and return the shells to the stockpot.
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16
Simmer the shells for 30 minutes, skimming frequently.
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17
Strain the lobster stock through a fine sieve and reserve 8 cups.
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18
In a soup pot, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter.
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19
Add the onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf.
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20
Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 8 minutes.
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21
Add the cooked pumpkin and the wine and simmer until the wine has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
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22
Add 6 cups of the lobster stock and simmer for 30 minutes.
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23
Remove and discard the herb sprigs and bay leaf.
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24
In a food processor or blender, puree the soup with the creme fraiche.
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25
Return it to a clean pot.
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26
Add enough of the remaining 2 cups of lobster stock to make the soup velvety; season with salt and pepper.
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27
Mix 1 tablespoon of kosher salt with 2 teaspoons of pepper and the garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, dry mustard, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.
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28
7.
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29
In a very large skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil.
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30
Add the lobster tails, cut sides down, and cook over high heat until the shells begins to brown, 3 minutes.
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31
Reduce the heat to moderate, turn the tails and add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and the spice mixture.
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32
Cook the tails for 2 minutes, basting them with the spice butter.
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33
Transfer the tails to a plate and remove the meat from the shells.
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34
Add the lobster claws to the skillet and baste with the spice butter, 2 minutes per side.
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35
Add the claws to the tails on the plate.
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36
Bring the soup to a simmer.
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37
Ladle into warmed bowls and garnish each serving with a lobster tail half and a claw.
