Lobster - Premium Seafood

Sun-dried tomatoes are available either dry or oil-packed. If using the dry variety, reconstitute in warm water to soften, then drain. Always drain tomatoes that are packed in oil.

• ¾ lb (375 g) large scallops
• 4 tbsp (60 mL) butter
• 3-4 shallots, minced
• 4 cooked lobster tails, split
• ½ cup (125 mL) white wine
• ½ cup (125 mL) sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted (or well-drained, seeded, chopped tomatoes)
• 4 tbsp (60 mL) fresh basil, chopped salt and pepper to taste
• dash of cayenne
• ½ cup (125 mL) heavy cream (35% M.F.)
• 4 oz (125 g) Havarti cheese, grated fresh pasta to serve 4

Sauté scallops in butter over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add shallots and lobster tails. Bring to a simmer and cook only until scallops are opaque, about 2 more minutes. Remove from pan and keep warm. Deglaze pan with wine; add tomatoes and basil. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Add cream and simmer sauce to thicken slightly. Stir in cheese and heat until melted. Return seafood to sauce and serve immediately over prepared pasta.

Serves 4.

Flavour to this entree added using blanched fiddleheads instead of broccoli or zucchini. Try it with your own choice of vegetable combinations.

• 2 cups (500 mL) lobster meat
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil
• 1 cup (250 mL) fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup (250 mL) celery, diagonally sliced
• 1 cup (250 mL) cauliflower florets
• 1 cup (250 mL) broccoli florets or sliced zucchini 1 red or yellow pepper, cubed
• ½ cup (125 mL) fish or chicken stock
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) cold water
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) soya or oyster sauce
• 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) hot red pepper flakes, or to taste salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dulse flakes (optional)

Coarsely chop lobster, removing cartilage and any shell pieces; set aside. In a wok or large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and stir or toss quickly for 1-2 minutes. Add broth and cover to allow vegetables to steam until crisp tender. Mix cornstarch with cold water; add soya or oyster sauce and hot pepper flakes. Stir into hot broth in wok and coat all vegetables. Add lobster and heat through. Sprinkle with dulse flakes and serve with rice or pasta.

Serves 4.

Cut the chicken and lobster pieces in medallions and serve them alternately on the plate. Drizzled with a rich sherry-flavoured cream sauce, this dish is a perfect entree for special occasions.

• 2 lobsters (1 ½ lb/650 g each)
• 5 tbsp (75mL) vegetable oil, portioned
• ½ cup (125 mL) sherry
• 1 1/3 cups (325 mL) heavy cream (35% M.F.)
• 4 boneless chicken breasts (4 oz/125 g each) flour, for dusting
• salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large kettle of salted water to a full boil. Plunge lobsters head first into water and hold under water with a wooden spoon for 4 minutes. Remove from water and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Separate claws and tails from lobster bodies. Remove tomalley from bodies and reserve. (Tomalley is the soft olive-green liver, found in the body of the lobster. It is considered a delicacy, and can be eaten alone or incorporated into sauces.)

Crack claws and slice tails (shells and meat) into medallions. In a large skillet, heat 3 tbsp (45 mL) oil until hot and saute lobster pieces, stirring occasionally, for 2 -3 minutes. Deglaze pan with sherry, bring to a boil; add cream and simmer for 8 -10 minutes until cooked.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Dredge chicken in flour, coating lightly. Heat 2 tbsp (30 mL) oil over high heat in a heavy ovenproof skillet and brown chicken, turning once. Place skillet in oven and bake until chicken is no longer pink in the centre (5 -7 minutes).

With a slotted spoon, remove lobster from pan. Separate meat from shells and keep warm. Return sauce to medium heat, whisk in reserved tomalley and juices and reduce until slightly thickened. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Arrange lobster and chicken on plates and top with cream sauce.

Serves 4.

Lobster Newburg is an old-style rich and creamy lobster dish. Traditional servings included the lobster over buttered toast points. Toast may instead be replaced with crepes or be tossed with pasta. This is a basic recipe that may be dressed up with fresh herbs or tomatoes.

• 1/3 cup (75 mL) butter
• 4 cups (1 L) fresh lobster meat, in bite-sized pieces
• generous dash of paprika
• generous dash of nutmeg
• ½ cup (125 mL) medium-dry sherry
• 6 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 cups (500 mL) heavy cream (35% M.F.)

Melt butter in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water. Add lobster meat and sauté gently until heated through. Add paprika, nutmeg and sherry, and return to serving temperature. Blend egg yolks and cream with a wire whisk; add to the lobster and heat gently until hot and the sauce begins to thicken. Do not boil. Serve immediately in a puff pastry shell, over rice or with a medley of seasonal vegetables.

Serves 6.

The chili peppers determine the amount of “heat” in this dish. If a milder sauce is to your liking, use 1 pepper or 1 tsp (5 mL) minced jalapeno pepper (seeds and white membrane removed).

• few drops sesame oil
• 2 tsp (10 mL) vegetable oil 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tsp (10 mL) grated fresh ginger
• 2 mild chili peppers, seeded and finely diced (Ancho, Anaheim, Poblano, etc.) 2 cups (500 mL) coconut milk
• 1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander1 tsp (5 mL) turmeric
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1 tsp (5 mL) curry powder
• 1 ½ lb (650 g) cooked lobster, in bite-sized chunks
• 2 tomatoes, diced salt and pepper
• mango rice (recipe follows)

Heat sesame oil and vegetable oil over medium heat in a deep frying pan. Saute onion for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, fresh ginger, diced tomatoes and chili peppers and continue to cook for 1 minute. Add coconut milk, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and curry powder and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cooked lobster and diced tomatoes. Cover and let simmer for 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve over mango rice.

Serves 6.

Mango Rice

• 1 ½ cups (375 mL) long grain rice
• 3 cups (750 mL) chicken stock
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) butter
• 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
• ½ each red and green bell peppers
• 1 stalk lemongrass (white part only), peeled and diced
• ½ cup (125 mL) unsweetened coconut
• pinch each of cumin, cardamom, black pepper, salt, ginger, turmeric and curry powder

Cook rice in chicken stock according to directions on package. While rice is melt butter in a skillet and sauté remaining ingredients until peppers are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir into cooked rice.

This lobster recipe, with its subtle roasted red pepper and lime, provides a completely different flavour from boiled lobster. Complete with Jamaican Coleslaw.

• 4 lobsters (1 - 1½ lb/450 - 650g each)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) oil
• 1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened juice and zest of 2 limes
• salt and pepper to taste
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• ½ cup (125 mL) olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• juice of 1 lemon
• ½ cup (125 mL) chopped chives
• ½ cup (125mL) chopped cilantro coarsely ground black pepper
• lemon wedges, as garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; plunge lobsters in for 4 -6 minutes to blanch. Remove lobsters and cool until you can handle them. Cut in half lengthwise, remove viscera, and crack claws.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°e). Brush red pepper with oil, place on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, turning several times. Remove from oven and cool. Carefully peel off pepper skin, remove seeds and chop the pepper. Place softened butter, red pepper, lime juice and zest in a blender and process until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Set aside at room temperature.

Prepare marinade by combining olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, chives, coriander and black pepper. Rub thoroughly over lobster and let stand for 20 minutes. Barbecue lobster flesh-side down on a hot grill until golden. Turn, brush flesh with red pepper butter and cook, shell side down for another 6-8 minutes, allowing the lobster to braise in its own juices. Arrange lobster on warm plates, top with remaining red pepper butter and serve with a large spoonful of Jamaican coleslaw (recipe follows) and a garnish of lemon wedges.

Jamaican Coleslaw

• 1/4 head red cabbage
• ¼ head Chinese cabbage
• 1 red onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 large carrot
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
• ½ tsp (2 mL) ground coriander seeds ~ tsp (2 mL) curry powder
• ½ tsp (2 mL) Dijon mustard
• juice of 2 limes
• ¼ cup (50 mL) red wine vinegar 1 cup (250 mL) olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Finely slice the cabbages, onion, celery and carrot. Set aside in a large bowl. Place remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper, in a blender and process. Pour sauce over vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.