The Maine (Home+Design) Questionnaire with Chef Rich Lemoine

Rich Lemoine, the chef at the heart of our April Feast “A Palette for the Palate,” has helmed the kitchens of some of Southern Maine’s most loved restaurants, such as the White Barn Inn and the Salt Marsh Tavern. Today, Lemoine plates his classic yet sophisticated take on Maine cuisine at the Cape Arundel Inn. With this impressive resume and an unflappable disposition, we knew Lemoine was the perfect candidate for our all new Maine (Home + Design) Questionnaire.

April 2008

Name: Rich Lemoine

Occupation: Chef at the Cape Arundel Inn

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Favorite Maine Destination: The town, beaches and back roads of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport

Mainer I Most Admire: Rachel Carson

Favorite Maine Artist: Jack Nahil

Favorite Maine Gallery or Museum: Any gallery that is filled with antiques

Favorite Maine Craftsperson: Stonewall Kitchen, York

Favorite Maine Restaurant: Excluding Cape Arundel Inn? Mekhong Thai, Kennebunk Lower Village

Favorite Maine Holiday: Labor Day (children back to school, a little cooler, less stress, leaves starting to change, baseball pennant & races...)

Happiest Maine Memory: The birth of my two children at Southern Maine Medical Center

Worst Maine Memory: The Ice Storm

Native or From Away: 25 years "native", 24 "from away"

Ocean or Lake: Ocean

Sugarloaf or Sunday River: Culebra, Puerto Rico

George Mitchell or George Bush: George Bush - SENIOR

Sail Boat or Power Boat: Sail

Bib or No Bib: No bib, lots of cloth napkins and OUTDOORS

Moxie: YES!

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Sauteed Maine Lobster & Wild Mushroom

in a Whiskey and Herb Beurre Blanc

from Chef Richard A. Lemoine

4 – 1 ½ lbs. Maine lobsters-steamed 10 minutes, then shocked in ice water 1 ½ cups seasoned cracker crumbs

2 cups fresh, raw spinach leaves, picked and cleaned

1 cup mixed wild mushrooms, sliced

2 shallots minced

½ cup whiskey

½ cup white wine

1 cup lobster stock

1 cup heavy cream

4 tbsp butter Salt, pepper, and chopped thyme

Prep Lobster: Split the lobsters and butterfly—take off claws and knuckles, take out tail meat from tail—rinse out lobster body (throw out stomach sac) and place the 4 bodies on a large sheet pan. Reserve all meat for later. Put crumbs in bottom of lobster cavity. Line cavities with spinach leaves; hold in refrigerator.

Sauté mushrooms and shallots in 1 tbsp. butter until fragrant. Carefully (away from the stove) add the wine and whiskey; reduce by half. Add lobster stock, reduce by half. Add cream, reduce until slightly thickened and whisk in 3 tbsp cold butter. Add seasonings and reserved lobster meat (cut into bite size pieces). Carefully spoon this mixture into the lobster cavities. Bake until thoroughly hot (about 12-15 minutes) at 375-400F. Spoon any remaining sauce over lobster and serve. Serves 4.