Surf & Turf Sundays- Butterflying & Broiling a Lobster Tail

Another weekend passed, another great food frenzy in my kitchen.
I thought about making Lobster Hash this weekend. I had a really interesting recipe for it and I was excited about making something with that could possibly be good for St. Patrick's day celebrations.
Then I thought about it for a while longer.
How many of you out there dear readers, would ever do something like create hash with gorgeous lobster tails?
Few, if any I should think; unless you live near the Atlantic Ocean where lobsters are abundant and you can lay your own traps. Other than that...it's probably just not worth it. This started to look like a recipe for wasted time and lobster meat, and that foodie friends an egregious Lobster sin.
So I needed a new plan and I needed one fast.
The answer was so simple.
Surf & Turf Sunday.
How perfectly simple.
Nothing pairs better with a lobster tail like a great steak. So I did just that.
I butterflied and broiled the North Australian Lobster Tails, and grilled a fantastic New York Strip Steak. Dinner was perfect. A meal I have had a thousand times, yet never seem to grow weary of.
So here are the pictures I took of this fantastic Sunday lunch along with the directions on how to prepare and serve Lobster tails like the ones seen here.
Happy eating foodies!

How to butterfly and broil a Lobster Tail

Step 1
Start with a completely thawed Lobster Tail.



Step 2
Using a pair of kitchen shears, make an incision in the top of the shell starting at the front of the lobster tail where the meat is exposed, and cut back to the base of the tail where the fin begins. Do not go through the bottom of the tail.

Step 3
After the lobster has been cut to the back of the tail, insert your index finger into the shell at the back of the lobster tail. Remove the lobster meat from the side of the shell, and work your way to the front of the lobster tail, releasing the meat from the shell as you go.
Do this to both sides of the lobster tail and ensure that the meat is properly detached.

Step 4
After the meat has been detached from the interior of the tail, simply grab the front portion of lobster meat, and gently pull the meat up and back towards the fin, but do not completely remove the meat. Pull back until you have reached the end of your incision, close the lobster tail shell sides, and nicely lay the lobster meat on top of the closed shell.

Now all you have to do is brush the exposed lobster meat with butter and some spices and broil for 1 minute per ounce. These North Australian Lobster Tails are 8-10 oz tails, so I broiled them for 8 minutes and then checked to be sure they were cooked.

Lobster Hush Puppies

Ingredients
Oil, for frying
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 chopped green onions
Salt & pepper
1 pound cooked Lobster meat

Directions
Heat oil to 350. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & pepper to taste, and cayenne pepper. Add all wet ingredients except Lobster meat and whisk until combined. Lightly fold in cooked lobster meat and set batter aside for 10 minutes.
Dip spoon into water and then a spoonful of the hush-puppy mixture. This will allow mixture to easily fall off the spoon. Drop by tablespoonfuls into hot oil, and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot!

Images from King Crab Stuffed Maine Lobster Tails

Yay! It's Friday! I just finished getting my images together from my last recipe adventure so it's time to share :)
It's also time to let everyone know that this is the LAST WEEKEND TO ENTER MY GIVE AWAY and have a crack at winning either and "O" Balsamic Vinegar Sampler set or an "O" Extra Virgin Olive Oil Sampler set. Interested in winning? Check out how to enter here.
I can't wait to see what the winning recipes will be and who will receive these great sampler sets. I used my Eureka Lemon Olive oil in the Stuffed Maine Tail recipe, I think the addition of the lemon really set off the spices in the King Crab cakes. Well foodies, I hope everyone out there has an awesome weekend and I'll be back early next week to announce our winners! Thanks to all of you who have already entered!

Baked Maine Lobster with Cheese

Even though I suffer from lactose intolerance, I love cheese. I am one of those people who believe almost everything is better smothered in cheese. This is one of my favorite live lobster dishes to make at home. It is pretty easy to throw together, and seems more like a relaxed meal than lobster usually is.

Recipe Ingredients

1 whole live Maine lobster

2 teaspoons melted butter

2/3 cup light cream

1/2 slice bacon (chopped finely)

1 stalk spinach

1 clove garlic (chopped finely)

2 slices cheese (use your favorite cheese)

Salt to taste

A pinch of sugar

flour

Dried parsley flakes

Recipe Directions:
Clean the lobster and cut it into halves (use only half the lobster). Boil the spinach in hot water, drain the water dry and chop the spinach. Set aside. Heat up a wok/skillet and add in the melted butter. Saute the garlic and bacon until aromatic, then add in the spinach and cream and bring to boil. Add salt and a pinch of sugar, and a little flour to thicken the sauce. Dish out. Preheat the oven to 375 degree. Spread the mixture onto the body of the lobster and its head evenly. Break the cheese into small pieces and top the lobster with them. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese turns golden brown. Sprinkle dried parsley flakes on the lobster and serve hot with lemon wedges.
Source:Baked

Scallop Chowder

My Mom use to make this hearty scallop chowder in the late fall and winter. It always had a special way of warming you through and through like nothing but home cooked comfort food can. Thankfully this recipe is pretty easy and can be made in large batches and frozen. Fresh Maine Sea Scallops are best for this recipe, but if you would like to use frozen scallops, that's fine as well. Just make sure you don't purchase WET Sea Scallops. Always go for Dry Sea Scallops!

Ingredients

• 2 large leeks whites and greens only, chopped (about 1 1/2c)
  
• 1 tbs unsalted butter
  
• 1 large potato
  
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
  
• 1 fresh thyme sprig
  
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  
• 1 lb fresh sea scallops, diced into 1/4 inch chunks
• 3 1/2 cups bottled clam juice
  
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
  
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
  
• 2 slices of bacon, chopped
  
• 1/2 cup whole milk (or half and half)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  
• Serve with herb oyster crackers

Recipe Directions:
Wash leeks well in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well. Cook half of leeks in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 10 minutes. While leeks are cooking, peel potato and cut into 1/3-inch dice. Add wine, thyme sprig, and white pepper to leeks and boil until most of liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute. Add 1/3 cup potato (reserve remaining diced potato in a bowl of cold water), 1/2 cup scallops, and clam juice, then simmer, uncovered, until potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain remaining potatoes in a colander and cook with carrot, celery, and remaining leeks in a 1-quart saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 5 minutes, then drain. Cook bacon in a skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 3 minutes, and transfer to paper towels to drain. Remove and discard thyme sprig and purée soup in 2 batches in a blender until very smooth , then transfer to a bowl. Return soup to cleaned saucepan, then add vegetable mixture, remaining scallops, milk, and salt and cook over moderate heat (do not let boil), stirring, until scallops are just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with bacon.
Source:Maine's Best Scallop Chowder Recipe

Seaman's Pot Pie

This is a great take on the classic "Chicken Pot Pie" recipe. This one is great for fall and winter days when you just can't shake off the cold. Scallops and Shrimp can be replaced with any type of seafood you like!

Ingredients

• 1 cup small shell pasta
  
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 2 cups fish stock
  
• 1 cup milk
  
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
  
• 1 pound large shrimp - shelled, deveined and halved lengthwise
  
• 1 pound quartered sea scallops
  
• 1 cup frozen peas
  
• 2 plum tomato, finely chopped
  
• 1/4 cup cream sherry (optional)
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil; add the pasta shells and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, rinse under cold running water and drain in a colander. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat; add the onion, celery and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and celery are softened, about 7 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the fish stock and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Stir together the milk and cornstarch and then whisk the mixture into the fish stock mixture. Bring the soup to a boil, then cook, whisking continuously, for 2 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, scallops and peas. Cook the stew, stirring frequently, until the seafood is firm and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, sherry and pasta shells; season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Source:Sea Pie