Lobster

Lobster Mac and Cheese with Fresh Chives, Pimente d’Espelette

/ Ren

North Atlantic lobster meat, organic, whole wheat macaroni, aged Vermont white and cloth-bound cheddar, fresh cream, chives and pimente d’Espelette..

Lobster Mac and Cheese

1/2 pound organic, whole wheat macaroni
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shell stock
blond roux as needed
1-1/2 tablespoons good sherry (not cooking sherry!)
1/2 pound aged white cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1-1/2 tablespoons pimente d’Espelette
3 tablespoons fresh chives or slivered green onion tops
3/4 pound lobster meat, poached
1/2 cup organic panko
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Prepare macaroni according to package instructions, but reduce cooking time by 2 minutes.  Drain pasta (don’t rinse) and set aside.

Lightly poach lobster meat until a little underdone in simmering water with a little fresh lemon juice,a tablespoon of butter and some fresh parsley.  Remove from heat, drain and transfer the lobster meat to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.  Set aside.

Add cream, stock, sherry and nutmeg together in a heavy saucepan. Heat just until tiny bubbles come to the surface, but do not let it boil.  Whisk in just enough roux so that the sauce coats and clings to the back of a wood spoon.  Remove from heat.

Fold in cheeses, chives, pasta, pimente d’Espelette and lobster. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

Turn mixture out into a small skillet or individual gratin dishes. Sprinkle lightly with panko and place into a 375 degree oven until bubbly and cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.

Sprinkle lightly with additional chives/green onions and chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Lobster Corn Cakes

/ Ren

Maine lobster, sweet corn, scallions and parsley in a fritter batter of fresh cream, sprouted flour and pastured egg.  Seasoned with sea salt and lemon pepper, served with red chili paste and fresh lime..

Makes 4-6 4-inch Cakes (basic fritter batter based on a recipe by Michael Ruhlman)

1 cup lobster meat, blanched, cooled and coarsely chopped
1 cup organic sweet corn (no GMOs here!)
2 fresh scallions, slivered
1-1/2 tablespoons parsley, chopped, rinsed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup sprouted flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
2 ounces fresh cream
2 ounces lobster stock
1 egg
oil for frying

Stir lobster, corn, scallions and parsley together in a bowl.

Combine flour, salt, pepper and baking powder together in another bowl.

Whisk together cream, lobster stock and egg in a third bowl.

Pour flour mixture into cream mixture and whisk until smooth (batter will be very thick).

Pour just enough fritter batter over the lobster mixture to hold it together. You may not need all of the batter.

Heat 1/4-inch of oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet until a flicked drop of water pops, then carefully drop quarter cupfuls of batter around pan, flattening slightly with the back of a spoon.

Shallow fry cakes until golden brown on both sides, then transfer to a side plate to drain for a moment before serving hot with your choice of condiments (I like red chili & lime).

Butter-Poached Lobster on a Salt-Crusted Bolillo

/ Ren

Imagine the iconic New England lobster roll on a late summer evening.  Delicious, right?  Now re-imagine that as a Texican creation with homemade Key lime-ancho mayonnaise, fresh avocado and heirloom tomatoes served on a top-split, oven-toasted bolillo..

Butter-Poached Lobster on a Salt-Crusted Bolillo

For the Aioli (adapted from multiple recipes by Michael Ruhlman)

1 large, pastured egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon filtered water
2 teaspoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 cup avocado oil
2 teaspooons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed Key lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh red chili pepper, seeded and chopped
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Whisk the yolk, salt and lemon juice together in a large, non-reactive bowl.  While whisking, drizzle in a few drops of oil, then a few more to establish the emulsion.  Whisking continuously, add the remaining oil in a thin stream.  The mixture should be thick enough to cling to your whisk (i.e., not pourable).

Whisk in the remaining ingredients (except the salt & pepper), then season to taste with the salt and pepper.  Cover tightly and refrigerate 1 hour before using.  If the avocado oil has begun to solidify, simple allow the mayonnaise to come to room temperature and give it a quick whisk.

To Prepare the Lobster

1/2 pound Canadian or Maine lobster knuckle and claw meat
6 oz pastured butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 fresh bay leaves

Put the wine and bay leaves into a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and bring to a quick boil.  Lower the heat and simmer until the wine has reduced in volume by half.  Add the butter and cook until you hear the milk solids begin to sizzle on the bottom of the pan.  Skim and discard the foam from the top, then regulate the heat until bubbles are barely breaking the surface.

Add the lobster and poach until just done, maybe 10 minutes.  Don’t let the butter boil and don’t let the lobster cook too long or it will be rubbery.  Transfer the lobster to a side dish to cool, reserving the butter for another recipe.

To make the Lobster Salad

1/2 pound poached lobster meat, coarsley chopped
1/4 cup key lime-ancho mayonnaise (more or less)
1/2 cup ripe, red heirloom tomato, coarsley chopped
1/2 cup fresh avocado, coarsley chopped

Lightly fold all ingredients together in a bowl, taking care not to let things get mashed up.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Bolillos

Use a bread knife to split fresh bolillos from the top, taking care not to cut all the way through.  Brush the split bolillos all over with lots of the leftover lobster poaching butter, then sprinkle with coarse sea salt.  Place in a 400 degree oven until nicely toasted, then remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.

To Serve

Mound the still warm, split bolillos with the chilled lobster salad.  Dress with a squeeze of lime and garnish with a grind of chili and a little fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Butter-Poached Newfoundland Lobster

/ Ren

Fresh lobster tails from the icy waters of Newfoundland and Labrador are gently poached in cultured butter with organic Pinot grigio, heirloom tomatoes, slivered leeks, fresh or preserved lemon, garlic, fresh marjoram and bay..

Butter-Poached Newfoundland Lobster

lobster tails
lobster shells
8 oz cultured butter, cold, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz Pinot gris or other semi-dry white wine
1 bay leaf, fresh preferred
2 wedges preserved lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
2 inches fresh leeks, green and white parts, slivered
1 heirloom tomato, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon safflower stamens (for color, optional)
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, torn
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Heat wine and empty lobster shells in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until simmering.  Reduce heat to medium low, add lemon, bay, garlic, tomato and leeks and cook until tomatoes and leeks begin to disintegrate, about 12 minutes.

Whisk in butter one piece at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next.  Do not allow to boil or the emulsion will break.

Add safflower, marjoram, parsley and lobster tails and gently poach until firm and opaque, about 10 minutes.  Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

To serve, arrange tails in a shallow bowl and spoon poaching liquid over the top.  Serve with crusty bread and a salad of field greens, perhaps.

Leftover poaching liquid makes a great base for bisque.  Keep it in the freezer up to three months.

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