Instructions: Into a large kettle of boiling salted water plunge the lobsters, cover the kettle, and return the water to a boil. Boil the lobsters for 8 minutes from the time that the water returns to a boil and transfer them with tongs to a cutting board. Cut off the claws and the legs, split the underside of the tail shells lengthwise, and reassemble the lobsters on heated plates.

Make the beurre blanc while the lobsters are boiling: In a small saucepan boil the wine and the vinegar with the shallot until the liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons and whisk in the cream and the tomato paste. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the butter, 1 piece at a time, lifting the pan from the heat occasionally to cool the mixture and adding each new piece of butter before the previous one has melted completely. (The sauce should not get hot enough to liquefy. It should be the consistency of a thin hollandaise.) Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Divide the tomato and the minced basil among 4 small ramekins and divide the sauce among the ramekins. Garnish the plates with basil leaves and serve the lobsters with the sauce for dipping.

Serves 4.

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