Grilled California Spiny Lobster Food

HERB-GRILLED SPINY PACIFIC LOBSTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Preheat the grill to high.
• Split lobsters; butterfly from the top and remove intestines. Rinse head area in cold water to remove any waste matter.
• In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, and all of the garlic and chopped herbs. Set aside.
• Brush lobsters lightly with remaining oil and grill for approximately 5 minutes, meaty side down. Turn halfway through for grill marking and even cooking. Remove lobsters from grill, and place on a sheet pan, meaty side up. Coat with the herb and garlic mixture and season with salt and pepper. Place 2 pieces of butter on each lobster tail and put in the oven for approximately 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix the clarified butter mixed with the lemon juice. Drizzle over lobster as a sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges.

GRILLED CRAYFISH (OR SPINY LOBSTER) WITH DRESSINGS

Steps:

• Regardless on the size of your crayfish, they are best cooked whole. This way the carapace acts like an oven itself, whereby the shell heats up and bakes the flesh inside.
• However, if you are cooking a fairly large crayfish it's advisable to split it down the back with a sharp heavy knife. This will help it to cook quicker and make it more manageable to serve once it's cooked.
• I love cooking it on a barbecue, but it can be cooked just as well at home under a domestic grill, if split in half. Cooking times will vary, but a whole crayfish of around 1 to 1 3/4 pounds will take about 15 to 20 minutes above a hot barbecue, turning it around to cook through evenly. If the crayfish is halved, it will take between 10 to 15 minutes. A large crayfish, around 2 pounds, will take 25 to 35 minutes and if split, about 15 minutes.
• Serve grilled crayfish very simply with a little olive oil and lemon juice, or melted butter. However, the following dressings add a little oomph to this delicious meat.
• Place all of the above in a blender and puree to a thick dressing. Taste for seasoning, then let rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.
• Heat the butter in a small pan, when it?s bubbling add the onion and chile and cook over a moderate heat until the onion just begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Take it off the heat, stir in the juice, cilantro, and salt. Serve immediately.

BARBECUED CALIFORNIA SPINY LOBSTER

Steps:

• Submerge live lobsters in boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove from water. When cool enough to handle, remove heads from tails. With large knife, cut tails in half lengthwise. Place cut tails in large mixing bowl and toss with garlic, onion, thyme, olive oil and vinegar. Let marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat a charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Once fire is hot, scatter fruit wood on top and allow to burn. As soon as the wood has turned to coal, place lobster tail halves on grill, meat side down. Cook until shell turns a lighter shade of red, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn lobster tails and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until the meat begins to pull away from the shell. Remove lobsters from grill. Place on platter and pour remaining marinade from bowl over finished tails.

GRILLED SPINY LOBSTER WITH LUMP CRAB CEVICHE

Steps:

• For ceviche, combine all ingredients and refrigerate for 2 hours. For marinade, combine all ingredients except lobster. Brush on lobster 30 minutes prior to grilling. For cilantro lime sauce, puree in blender all ingredients but olive oil and salt and pepper. When ingredients are combined slowly add olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. To assemble, stack 2 lobster tails, top with mound of ceviche and drizzle sauce around dish and plate. Garnish with fresh cilantro and chives.

WHOLE GRILLED PACIFIC SPINY LOBSTER WITH MANGO PAPAYA SALSA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Plunge the lobsters into the boiling water, cook for 8 minutes. Remove carefully and submerge in a bowl of ice water to immediately stop the cooking. Split the lobsters in half lengthwise and rinse out the head cavity and any veins that may be in the tail. Set aside.
• Toss the papayas, mangos and tomatoes in a mixing bowl with the lime juice and cayenne and salt, to taste. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
• When ready to serve, brush a small amount of oil on the lobster meat and place the lobsters meat side down on the hot grill. Grill until lobster meat is lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook the shell side until lobster is heated through, about 3 minutes more. Remove the lobster meat from the shell. Add the mint to salsa, mix, and put on serving plates. Serve the lobster meat on top of the salsa.

GRILLED SPINY LOBSTERS WITH BAHAMIAN CURRY SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine all of the spices. Transfer to a sealed container and store for up to 1 month.
• Bahamian Curry Sauce:
• For Bahamian Curry Sauce:
• Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven over high heat. Add the onions and ginger and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the Mesa Curry Mix and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the lobster stock and coconut milk and cook until reduced by half, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. *Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain into a small saucepan and cook to a sauce consistency. Season with honey, salt and pepper, to taste, and fold in the cilantro. Keep warm.
• *When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.
• For Spiny Lobsters:
• Preheat the grill to high.
• In a pot fitted with a steamer insert, steam the lobster tails until just beginning to become opaque. Remove the tails from the steamer, brush with the oil and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Place 2 skewers, lengthwise, into each tail so the tails will lie flat on the grill. Grill flesh side down for about 10 minutes or until marked and just cooked through. Serve with the Curry Sauce.

GRILLED CALIFORNIA LOBSTER

Steps:

• Preheat a grill or an oven broiler.
• Place the lobsters in boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes, 4 minutes for every pound. Make sure not to overcook the lobsters. Split the lobsters in half from head to tail and rinse out the gut material. Lightly brush melted butter on to the meat side of the lobster and broil in the oven meat side up or on a grill, meat side down. Cook the lobsters until lightly browned on the meat side.

GRILLED LOBSTER WITH CREAMY CHILI VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Mix first 8 ingredients in medium bowl. Whisk in 3/4 cup oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse under cold water to cool. Drain. (Can be made 2 hours ahead.) Set aside.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-low heat) or preheat broiler. Brush lobster tails with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Place lobster tails, meat side down, on grill. Grill 3 minutes. Turn over; grill until meat is opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate. Tent with foil.
• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add pasta, chives and parsley; toss until heated through. Place pasta on plates. Top with lobster. Garnish with lemon. Serve with vinaigrette.
• *Available at Asian markets and in many supermarkets.