|
How to Cook Lobster Tails Recipe
recipe,
photograph and presentation all created
by Peggy
Bucholz www.finedinings.com
Recipe Type: Lobster tail, Dinner Party, Seafood, main entree
Total Time: 30 min
Prep Time: 30 min
Yield: many
Ingredients:
Lobster Tails, 1 per person,
at room temperature
Unsalted butter for poaching (instructions below), slightly chilled, cut into small chunks
1 tablespoon water
1 ounce fresh spinach leaves, per person
1 tablespoon extra-virgin Olive Oil
1 large garlic clove thinly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
baby red potatoes cut into mushroom shapes, 3 per person (recipe below)
1 teaspoon butter melted, per person
pinch of garlic powder, per person
1/2 teaspoon toasted sliced almonds, per person
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Wooden or metal skewers, 1 per person
Thermometer
1/4 cup containers for dipping, 1 per person
Preparation:
Prepare lobster
tails:
Remove the shell, keep
tails intact. Insert one skewer lengthwise into each lobster
tail to prevent them from curling. I like to use wooden skewers so
that I can trim them to fit snugly within my poaching skillet. This can be done in
advance.
Determine amount of
unsalted butter (beurre monte) you will need for poaching: Restaurants keep a
large supply of beurre monte on hand at all times, home cooks like me do not.
Therefore, I developed this formula to determine how much butter I will need
for the amount of lobster tails I will be poaching. Fit lobster tails snugly in a skillet single layer side by side, add just enough water to cover; remove
lobsters;
pour water left in the skillet into a measuring cup; this is the exact amount of
unsalted butter needed to poach the number of lobster you are preparing. This
can be done in advance.
How to cook
lobster tails: In the same skillet
water was measured bring 1 tablespoon water to boil, reduce heat to
low and slowly add the slightly chilled chunks of unsalted butter whisking to emulsify. Insert thermometer keeping
temperature between 160° and not over 180° degrees. Do not boil or the emulsion will
break and separate, (don't worry, it is still useable). Add room
temperature lobster tails
to the skillet maintaining a controlled temperature. I have found a temperature of 175° works best
to poach for
me. The lobster will be moist, not
dried out that often happens when they are baked or broiled. This
method infuses them with a delicate flavor, perfectly cooked in 4 to 7 minutes depending on their size. Do not overcook
or they can become tough and rubbery. Once you have prepared
lobster tails this way, I would imagine you will not go back to baking
or broiling them; this method is excellent and so easy to do. Prepare spinach: Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, add
spinach leaves, sliced garlic, salt and pepper; saute briefly until spinach is
wilted. Remove from heat, divide spinach among plates.
Prepare mushroom shaped
potatoes:
These can be prepared in
advance. Click here for easy instructions and view the
picture...Small Red Potatoes carved
into Mushroom Shapes these potatoes are so cute, easy to cut and will certainly
delight your guests making a very special and elegant dinner party.
How to serve lobster
tails: Remove skewers from lobster, place one
on each plate on top the freshly sauteed spinach... the colors are
beautiful! Spoon emulsified poaching butter (beurre monte) into each 1/4
cup individual serving containers, add a pinch of garlic powder and 1/4
teaspoon sliced toasted almonds to the butter containers; serve
on the plate as a delicious dipping sauce. Toss potatoes with
melted butter and arrange 3 on each plate
Note:
I freeze any leftover emulsified butter (beurre monte, a French term for emulsifying butter at a low
temperature), I use it to enhance vegetables, soups and seafood recipes or
use it to cook your next seafood tails.
|
