Did Someone Say Lobster?

Dana Moos, author of the new book Lobster: 75 Recipes Celebrating the World’s Favorite Seafood, shares a few of her favorite recipes with Coastal Palate. Her book can be found at Target and Barnes & Noble as well as on Amazon.com.

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Lobster Stock 

Many good dishes begin with a good homemade stock, including my Lobster Bloody Marys. Making your own is worth the effort. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays, and when you need a pop of lobster flavor, you have it at the ready. 

Makes about 4 cups 

Ingredients: 

• Shells and heads from 3 cooked (1¼-pound) lobsters 
• 1 large carrot 
• 2 onions 
• Olive oil (for drizzling lobster shells) 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• ½ stick butter 
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 1 cup dry white wine 
• 8 cups water 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 
• A few thyme sprigs

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 375°F.2. With the back of a heavy knife, crush the lobster shells and heads. Chop carrot and onion roughly. 

3. Roast lobster shells with the onions with a drizzle of olive oil for 30 minutes. 

4. In an 8-quart heavy stockpot, heat oil and butter over medium heat; add carrot, onion, tomato paste, and wine, and simmer until most of wine is evaporated. Add water, bay leaves, and pepper corns, and simmer until liquid is reduced to about 4 cups, about 1½ hours. 

5. Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a heat proof bowl. Stock may be made three days ahead. Stock keeps frozen for three months.

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Lobster Newburg Pasta 

This rich classic is made from some of my favorite things: cream, butter, cognac (brandy in my version), and sherry. I serve mine over campanelle, a tubeshaped pasta, but it’s often served over toast points or puff pastry. 

Serves 4 

Ingredients: 

• 3 live lobsters, about 1 ½ pounds each 
• 1 pound preferred pasta 
• Kosher salt, for boiling the pasta and to taste 
• ½ stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 large shallot, finely minced 
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon medium-dry sherry 
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon brandy 
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream 
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
• Cayenne to taste 
• 4 large egg yolks, beaten well 
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (for garnish) 
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley 
• 1 tablespoon minced chives 

Directions: 

1. Bring a large stockpot filled with about 2 inches of water to a boil. Place a steamer basket upside down, and then add the lobsters and cover. Cook for about 5–6 minutes. Pick meat, cut into chunks, and set aside. 

2. Boil pasta in heavily salted water according to instructions and drain a minute shy of al dente. Put back in pan with a tablespoon of butter and keep covered.

3. In a heavy saucepan, heat 1⁄2 stick butter, add the shallot, and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent and light golden—about 6 minutes. 

4. Add the lobster and cook in the butter over medium heat, stirring regularly, for 2 minutes. 

5. Add 3 tablespoons of the sherry and 2 table spoons of the brandy, and cook the mixture, stir ring, for 2 minutes. Transfer the lobster meat with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add the cream to the sherry mixture and boil the mixture until it is reduced to about 1 cup. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon sherry, the remaining 1 teaspoon brandy, nutmeg, cayenne, and salt to taste. Whisk in the yolks, and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it registers 140°F on a thermometer; continue to cook, whisking for another 3 minutes. Stir in the lobster meat and serve over pasta. 

6. Garnish with sliced cherry tomatoes, parsley, and chives.

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Lobster and Sausage Jambalaya 

A classic New Orleans staple, but with a touch of Maine and our favorite crustacean. 

Serves 6 

Ingredients: 

• Two 1 ¼ – 1½ pound lobsters (to yield about 1 cup of parcooked meat) 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 6 ounces chicken breast 
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 1 medium onion, diced 
• 1 cup diced celery 
• 1 poblano pepper, cored and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced 
• 2 smoked, cured, or spicy Andouille sausages, sliced 
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes 
• 4 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 
• 2 teaspoons diced fresh oregano 
• 1 teaspoon diced fresh thyme 
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 3 cups chicken stock 
• 2 cups Lobster Stock (See recipe) 
• 6–8 dashes hot sauce, optional 
• 2 ½ cups long-grain rice 
• ½ cup chopped scallions, divided 
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 
• 1 pound medium shrimp, deveined 

Directions: 

1. Bring a large stockpot filled with about 2 inches of water to a boil. Place a steamer basket upside down, and then add the lobsters and cover. Cook for about 5–6 minutes. Pick meat and proceed with the recipe. 

2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or cast-iron pot over medium heat. 

3. Season the chicken with about ¼ teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper and sauté for 8–10 minutes, until browned. Remove to a bowl, and set aside. 

4. Add the butter, onion, celery, and peppers to the same pot and saute for 8–10 minutes, until the onion is translucent. 

5. Add the sausage, cooked chicken, lobster, tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika, and tomato paste, and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well. 

6. Add the chicken and lobster stock and hot sauce, and bring to a rolling boil. 

7. Stir in the rice and return to a boil, add remaining salt and pepper, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. 

8. Add ¼ cup of the scallions, parsley, lemon juice, and shrimp and stir well. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat, and allow the jambalaya to rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving. 

9. Garnish with the remaining scallions.

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Fried Lobster Rangoon 

Any time I get Chinese carryout, I order crab Rangoon, and it NEVER makes it home. It’s just the perfect car snack! But these are elevated with lobster. And like the pot-stickers, these can be made and frozen prior to frying. They’re perfect for entertaining or game day snacks. 

Makes about 36 

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• A bunch of chives, finely diced 
• 2 garlic cloves, finely diced 
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 
• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste) 
• ¼ teaspoon Chesapeake Bay seasoning (seafood seasoning) 
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 
• 2 cups chopped lobster meat 
• Small bowl of water 
• 1 (14-ounce) package wonton wrappers (a 48-count package) 
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

Directions: 

1. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, olive oil, chives, garlic, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, seafood seasoning, and red pepper flakes until well combined. Add the lobster and fold until combined. 

2. Set aside a small bowl of water.

3. On a flat surface, lay out several wonton wrappers to work in batches. Dollop a teaspoon of the filling in the center of each wonton square. 

4. Using your fingers, wet the wrapper all along the edges. Bring all four corners upward and pinch the edges together to seal. Continue until all wrappers are filled. 

5. Once all of the wontons have been filled, heat a deep saucepan with oil over medium-high heat (until the oil shimmers). When it is very hot, place about 8 wontons in at a time. Fry the wonton purses until they are golden brown and blistered, about 2 minutes.