AUGUSTA – Chef John Welch of the Castine Inn was named “Maine Lobster Chef of the Year 2001” Thursday at the seventh annual Great Taste of Maine Lobster Governor’s Tasting and Culinary competition at the Blaine House.

Welch’s creation, Maine lobster on herbed brioche, with organic greens, fines herbes, shellfish glaze and a sherry vinaigrette, landed him a gold medal and a $500 cash prize.

William Hynes of Spruce Point Inn in Boothbay Harbor won the silver medal and $300 for his crepe, made of lobster, shitake and brie, with a lobster mimosa beurre blanc.

The bronze medal and $100 was awarded to James Byron of Bates College Dining Services in Lewiston for crepes, stuffed with grilled lobster, with a baby-shrimp hollandaise and fresh Maine blueberry and blackberry compote.

The Maine Lobster Promotion Council sponsored the event, which is open to any Maine chef working in a restaurant, culinary institution or food service facility.

The nine finalists’ recipes were judged by food professionals based on culinary expertise, creativity and unique and contemporary use of Maine lobster in a brunch application.

The chefs created the original recipes used in the competition. For information, call 947-2966 of visit www.mainelobsterpromo.com.

Maine Lobster on Herbed Brioche

Shellfish Glaze:

1 lobster body

2 carrots

2 celery ribs

1 white onion

1/4 cup brandy

6 cups of vegetable stock

1 sprig thyme

1 pinch peppercorns

4 bay leaves

2 bunches tarragon

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

salt and pepper

Herbed Brioche:

1 tablespoon fresh chervil

1 tablespoon fresh dill

1 tablespoon fresh chives

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper

Vinaigrette:

4 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 shallot

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3/4 cup canola oil

salt and pepper

1-inch slice of brioche

1 cup organic mesclun mix

1 bunch chervil

1 bunch tarragon

1 bunch chives

1 bunch dill

Tarragon Oil:

1 bunch tarragon

1/4 cup canola oil

Remove tail and claw from the lobster body. Cook separately in boiling salted water. Cook tail for minutes and claw for 4 minutes. Shell the lobster immediately. Use the reserved lobster body for shellfish glaze.

In hot oil, brown a small dice of carrots, celery and white onion. Once the vegetables are caramelized, add lobster body and continue to brown. Once the lobster and vegetables are thoroughly browned, deglaze the pan with brandy. Let the alcohol cook off about 2 minutes; cover with six cups of vegetable stock. Add a sachet of thyme, peppercorns, bay leaf and tarragon, and let sauce simmer for 45 minutes, strain and reserve.

Put sauce back on stove and reduce until the sauce has a glaze-like consistency (reducing by ? of original volume). Finish with 1 tablespoon butter; salt and pepper to taste. One lobster body should yield enough sauce for 8 servings.

For herbed brioche, use a standard brioche recipe. The key to the herbed brioche is an herbed egg wash using chervil, dill, chives and tarragon. Finely mince herbs using equal parts of each herb to yield 1/4 cup. Steep the herbs by heating 1 cup of heavy cream and pouring over the herbs once the cream is hot. Blend in blender. While hot, add salt and pepper, shock in an ice bath and reserve.

For sherry vinaigrette, use the sherry vinegar, add shallot finely diced and Dijon mustard. Emulsify this mixture using 3/4 cup canola oil; salt and pepper to taste.

For assembling this dish, submerge the brioche in the egg wash and brown in saut? pan. Toss mesclun mix with sherry vinaigrette. Lay lobster tail down on top of brioche. Toss mesclun mix. Next the claw, followed by a nest of herbs including chervil, tarragon, chives and dill, seasoned with sherry vinaigrette. The plate will then be garnished with the shellfish glaze and tarragon oil.

To make tarragon oil, blanch and shock 1 bunch of tarragon. Blend in blender with chilled canola oil, strain through coffee filter and reserve.