Cracked Lobster With Drawn Butter And Lemon Food

CRACKED LOBSTER WITH DRAWN BUTTER AND LEMON

Steps:

• Bring 12 cups cold water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a lobster pot or large, wide stockpot.
• Pick up each lobster firmly, holding the back of the body behind the claws. Add 2 to 4 lobsters to pot; they should fit snugly, but not be stacked. Cover, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove, and repeat with remaining lobsters. Let cool slightly before cracking and removing meat, about 10 minutes.
• Heat butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, skimming solids that rise to surface. Season with salt, then pour into small ramekins or a large dish, leaving behind any solids on the bottom; a clear, golden liquid will be left. Keep butter warm.
• Place 1 lobster on a cutting board. Twist tail from joint where it meets the body. Cut tail in half down center, keeping shell halves intact. Pull each tail half from its shell, and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick medallions. Arrange cut pieces in shells. Twist claws from body, and discard body. Separate claws from knuckles. Crack knuckles, and remove meat. Discard knuckle shells. Grasp "thumb" of claw, and bend it back to snap it off. Crack claws, and remove meat. Discard claw shells. Repeat with remaining lobsters.
• Arrange lobster pieces on a platter, and serve with butter and lemon.

CRACKED LOBSTER WITH DRAWN BUTTER AND LEMON

Steps:

• Bring 12 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a lobster pot or large, wide stockpot.
• Pick up each lobster firmly, holding the back of the body behind the claws. Add 2-4 lobsters to the pot; they should fit snugly, but not stacked. Cover, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove and repeat with remaining lobster. Let cool slightly before cracking and removing meat, about 20 minutes.
• Heat butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, skimming solids that rise to surface. Season with salt, then pour into small ramekin or a large dish, leaving behind any solids on the bottom; a clear, golden liquid will be left. Keep butter warm.
• Place 1 lobster on the cutting board. Twist tail from joint where it meets the body, Cut tail in half down the center, keeping shell halves intact. Pull each tail half from its shells. Twist claws from body and discard body. Separate claws form knuckles. Crack knuckles, and remove meat. Discard knuckle shells. Grasp the thumb of claw, and bend it back to snap it off. Crack claws, and remove meat. Discard claw shells. Repeat with remaining lobster.
• Arrange lobster pieces on a platter and serve with butter and lemon.

DRAWN BUTTER FOR STEAMED LOBSTER, CRABS, OR CLAMS

Steps:

• Place the butter in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 1 minute.
• Set the saucepan aside and let the butter settle, undisturbed. The milk solids will come to the top of the butter and the watery whey will collect on the bottom. Skim off the milk solids with a spoon and pour the drawn butter into a serving bowl or several small ramekins, taking care not include the watery liquid in the bottom of the pan. Serve.

LOBSTER TAILS WITH CLARIFIED BUTTER

Steps:

• Light the coals in a fire pit 1 hour before cooking or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.
• Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut through the top shell lengthwise. Cut a slit through the meat lengthwise taking care not to cut through the bottom shell. Gently pull the shells apart. Thread a skewer, starting at the underside base of the tail, along the inside of the bottom shell. Brush the meat with 1/4 cup of the clarified butter. Wrap the lobster tails in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the lobster meat is opaque.
• Place the remaining clarified butter in a butter warmer or dipping bowl. Remove the meat from the lobster shells and dip in the Clarified Butter.
• In a small, heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat. Pour the mixture into a 2-cup glass measuring jug. Let the melted butter stand for 5 minutes. Using a spoon, remove the foam from the top of the butter. Place the lemon zest in small bowl. Pour the clarified butter over the lemon zest and discard the milk solids left in the bottom of the jug.
• Yield: 1 1/4 cups

DRAWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler over just-barely simmering water, 5 to 7 minutes. Set the melted butter aside to cool slightly, then skim the foam off the top and discard. Allow the butter to solidify overnight. Drain off any liquid that collects at the bottom. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl, and pour into individual bowls before serving.

STEAMED LOBSTER WITH LEMON-HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Cook lobsters in 2 large pots of boiling salted water until shells are pink and lobsters are just cooked through, about 11 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in small saucepan. Add lemon juice and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve lobsters with lemon wedges and warm herb butter.

LOBSTER WITH LEMON & HERB BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the sauce, warm the lemon juice in a small saucepan. Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, swirling them into the lemon juice over a very low heat to melt them, adding a few more pieces until all the butter is used. Take the sauce off the heat, season to taste and keep warm.
• To make the salad, gently toss the rocket, avocado and lobster meat together. Dress with the lemon juice and olive oil, and toss again until everything is mixed and coated.
• To serve, stir the herbs through the sauce and pour into a ramekin or small bowl. Put the sauce on a plate and pile the large chunks of lobster meat on one side and the salad on the other. Bring the plate to the table to share - dip the tail meat, claws and crusty bread into the sauce.

DRAWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Melt half the butter, add flour mixed with seasoning and then gradually add hot water. Boil 5 minutes and remaining butter piece by piece.

LOBSTER WITH GARLIC BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with a large shallow baking pan in upper third.
• Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then stir together with butter and parsley.
• Plunge lobsters headfirst into a large pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) and cook, covered, 3 minutes from time they enter water. Transfer with tongs to a plate and let stand 5 minutes. (Lobsters will not be fully cooked.)
• Lightly crack claws, then split lobsters lengthwise and discard innards from body cavity.
• Remove tail meat from 1 lobster and cut crosswise into 8 pieces. Spread about 2 tablespoons garlic butter in one empty half shell, then fill that shell with all of sliced lobster and dot with 1 tablespoon garlic butter. Spoon about 5 tablespoons garlic butter into other empty half shell (for dipping). Repeat with remaining lobster.