Lobster Fra Diavolo Food

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• Par cook the lobster tails: Heat a large pot of boiling water over high heat. Quickly blanche the lobster tails just long enough so the shell turns red and the meat isn't fully cooked but can be removed from the shell, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the lobster tails to an ice bath to stop the meat from cooking. Turn each lobster tail onto its back on a cutting board and cut from the center belly down. Turn the tail around and cut again from the center belly down, splitting the tail in half. Use your hands to crack it open and remove the meat, reserving the shells. Chop the lobster meat into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.
• Heat 1 cup oil in a medium saucepan to 325 degrees F. Gently drop in the quartered artichokes to prevent the oil from splashing. Crisp the baby artichokes until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate, season with salt and reserve for later.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the cod with salt and pepper on both sides, then sear the cod, presentation side down. Add a sprig of thyme and 2 tablespoons butter and allow to brown. Baste the fish with the melted butter until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the fish to a plate, making sure to leave a little butter in the skillet.
• Add the cockles and 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet and cook, uncovered, until the cockles open, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the opened cockles to a plate. Discard any cockles that do not open.
• Add the chopped lobster to the butter and clam juice mixture in the skillet and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Meanwhile, heat the lobster broth in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the juices from the cooked cod, cockles and lobster to the broth, along with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Reduce the heat to low and whisk to combine until heated through.
• To assemble, add 4 tablespoons sunchoke puree to the center of a 12-inch rimmed bowl. Place a piece of cod in the center of the sunchoke puree. Arrange 7 to 8 cockles and some of the lobster around the cod. Add the crispy artichokes and garnish with picked fennel fronds and parsley. Serve with 4 ounces broth, tableside.
• Bring the cream, sunchokes and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over low to medium heat and cook until the sunchokes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Place the sunchokes in a food processor or blender and puree, adding reserved cream if needed, until smooth and creamy (like baby food). Makes about 2 cups.
• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, onions and fennel. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Sweat and caramelize the veggies, about 10 minutes. Add the lobster shells to the pot, then stir and crush the bodies into the vegetables.
• Add the garlic, tarragon, bay leaf, basil, thyme, rosemary and chile flakes and bloom the aromatics for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the butter to melt. Stir in the tomato paste and bloom for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bourbon and white wine, stir and reduce until the alcohol is cooked off, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the lobster base and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the water and bring back to a simmer, stirring occasionally and crushing the shells to extract as much flavor as possible, 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve, pressing on the solids to get all the liquid and flavor. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Rapid chill in an ice bath. Makes about 5 cups.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• If you're going to make the optional lobster broth, sauté the onion, carrot and fennel bulb about 5 minutes over medium-high heat, then add the lobster shells. Crush the shells with a potato masher or somesuch while they cook. Let them cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves and anise seed and cover with about 1 quart of water. Simmer this about 45 minutes, or until reduced by half. Strain and reserve.
• Get a large pot of water boiling and add enough salt to make it salty. Drop the heat to a simmer and proceed.
• To make the sauce, sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium-high heat until the onion is just starting to brown on the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chiles and cook another minute or three.
• Stir in the tomato paste and let that cook for 2 minutes, stirring almost constantly. Pour in the vermouth or white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits in the pan. Add the remaining ingredients (including the reserved stock), except for the lobster and the fresh basil. Bring to a simmer, taste for salt, and let this simmer 20 minutes.
• Now you want to boil your pasta. It'll be ready when the sauce is now.
• Add the lobster and let this cook about 10 minutes, just until the chunks are cooked through. Stir in the basil or parsley and, if you want, add some lemon. Serve over the pasta.

GRILLED RIB-EYE WITH FRA DIAVOLO LOBSTER RELISH

Steps:

• For the lobster relish: Bring an inch of water to a boil in a large pot with a steamer insert. Set the lobster belly-up on a cutting board. Pierce it with a knife just under the base of the head, and cut it deeply through the belly to kill it quickly. Transfer the lobster to the steamer, cover and cook for 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil along with the garlic to a small saute pan set over medium heat. Cook until golden and fragrant, then transfer the garlic to a medium bowl. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and lemon zest and juice to the bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.
• The moment the lobster is done shock it in an ice bath to stop cooking. When cool enough to handle, pull off the tail and claws and remove the meat. Chop up the meat and add it to the tomato mixture. Drizzle with some olive oil.
• In another saute pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the lobster-tomato mixture and heat it through. Add the white wine and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley and oregano.
• For the steak: About 20 minutes before cooking, remove the steak from the refrigerator and let it sit, covered, to come up to room temperature. Mix together the ancho powder, paprika, mustard, salt, cayenne, coriander, cumin and black pepper in a bowl and set aside.
• Preheat a large cast-iron pan over high heat and set the oven to broil.
• Brush the steak on both sides with the canola oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of the steak with the spice rub. Drizzle a little canola oil in the pan; when it begins to smoke, add the steak rub-side down and cook until a nice crust forms, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the steak to a cutting board and slice it against the grain 1-inch thick. Return the steak to the pan, rub-side up. Scatter the butter on top and broil to medium-rare, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and baste the steak with the pan juices.
• Assembly: Arrange the steak and the lobster relish on a plate. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the steak juices. Garnish with oregano and parsley.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVLO WITH BUCCATINI

Steps:

• Add bucatini to a large pot of boiling, salted water.
• Insert the tip of a heavy, sharp knife into the head of the lobster and cut through the head. Cut the lobster body in half lengthwise by taking firm hold of the tail and inserting a heavy, sharp knife where the tail meets the body section. Bring the knife down to the cutting board in a swift motion, cutting the body section clearly in half. Turn the knife in the other direction and cut the tail in half in the same way, splitting it right down the back. Split the claw at the joints. Split everything down the middle. Quarter each lobster half. There should be 8 small pieces of lobster.
• Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat. Add garlic and shallots and cook until they start to take color, about 10 seconds. Add lobster pieces and cook for about minute per side, until lobster is golden on both sides. Add the tomatoes and saute for about 1 minute until the tomatoes plump up and some split open. Then, add the white wine and let it simmer rapidly for about 2 minutes, until it begins to reduce a bit. Use your hands and crush the 2 tomatoes directly into the pan. Add salt and pepper, to taste, the oregano, the thyme, and the red pepper flakes. Let the mixture simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the pasta, without shaking out the excess water. Add pasta into the pan with the lobster, tossing it for about 1 minute until it is coated with the sauce. Add parsley and basil, toss 1 more time, and serve.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• Split the live lobsters and cook them in hot olive oil until the color has turned. Continue cooking gently for about 10 minutes.
• Add the parsley, thyme or oregano, onion, garlic, cloves, mace, salt, pepper, and tomatoes. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often.
• Arrange a ring of rice on a serving dish. Put the lobster halves in the center and pour the sauce over them. Add the brandy and blaze just before serving.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVLO

Steps:

• Split each lobster with a long, sharp knife. Cut each lobster into 8 pieces: two chest halves (with legs attached), two lobster tail halves, two large claws and two knuckles that connect the claws and body. Save any juice that exude from the lobster. Refrigerate tails, claws and knuckles.
• Turn on oven broiler. Brush a large roasting pan with a little oil, and place the four lobster chest halves on it. When oven is hot, place the pan directly under the broiler unit. Cook the lobster chests, turning frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until they are slightly charred.
• While chests are cooking, place a tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Peel and mince 6 garlic cloves, and add to the oil. Saute, stirring, until the garlic turns golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Remove chests from the oven and place in the Dutch oven with the garlic and oil. Add the white wine to the roasting pan, and deglaze pan for 30 seconds over a medium-high heat. Pour the wine into the Dutch oven. Remove the tomatoes from the cans, and, one by one, squeeze then over the contents of the Dutch oven, finally dropping the crushed tomatoes in. Reserve tomato juice in cans for possible use later. Add any reserved juices from the lobsters. Add the dried chillies, oregano, and basil. Boil ten minutes. Cover the Dutch oven, remove from heat, and let it rest for at least one hour.
• When almost ready to serve, pick the shells out of the tomato sauce and discard them. Remember to push all bits of tomato and lobster into the tomato sauce before discarding the shells. Add crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
• In a large heavy skillet, place the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over a high heat. Gently peel the remaining 4 cloves of garlic and cut into broad, thin slices. Add the garlic to the oil, and cook until the garlic just starts to burn (about 5 minutes). Add the 4 lobster claws, 4 knuckles, and 4 tail halves (shell side down), and cook covered for 4 minutes. Turn the lobster pieces over and cook until done, covered, another 3 to 4 minutes. Lower heat to medium, add tomato sauce and stir well. Taste for seasoning and red pepper. If the sauce seems too thick, thin with a little reserved tomato juice. Cook for one minute. Serve immediately.

WEIGHT WATCHER'S LOBSTER AND SHRIMP FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• Cook linguine according to package directions, omitting salt if desired. Drain and transfer to serving bowl.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook just until opaque in the center. (1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side)Transfer to a plate.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in the same pan and add the lobster pieces, stirring frequently until just heated through. Transfer to the plate with the shrimp.
• Heat remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook until slightly thickened.
• Return shrimp and lobster to the skillet and cook stirring frequently tunil heated through.
• Serve at once over linguine.

SEAFOOD FRA DIAVOLO WITH PASTA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the garlic and shallots over medium heat.
• When the garlic starts to sizzle, pour in the tomatoes and tomato sauce.
• Season with salt and red pepper.
• Bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat, add the red wine and tomato paste and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
• Cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
• In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat.
• Add the shrimp, calamari and scallops.
• Cook for about 4 minutes (or until done), stirring frequently, or until the shrimp turn pink.
• Add seafood to the tomato mixture, and stir in the parsley.
• Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce just begins to bubble.
• Serve sauce over pasta.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO WITH SPAGHETTINI

Steps:

• Place the lobsters in the freezer about 30 minutes before beginning this recipe.
• Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.
• Cut off the lobster legs and claws from the body with a sturdy pair of kitchen shears. Divide the claw at the joint. Whack the claws with a meat mallet just hard enough to crack the shells. (If you wish, to make it easier to remove the meat from the shell after the lobster is cooked, cut along one side of each of the two joints that were attached to the claw.) Lay one of the lobsters on a cutting board with the tail stretched out. Cut the lobster body in half length-wise by taking firm hold of the tail and inserting a heavy, sharp knife where the tail meets the body section. Bring the knife down to the cutting board in a swift motion, cutting the body section cleanly in half. Turn the knife in the other direction and cut the tail in half in the same way. You now have two lobster halves, each of which consists of tail and body pieces. Do not separate the tail from the body. Cut off the antennae and eyes with the shears and scrape out the digestive sac located inside the shell, behind the eyes. Pull out the dark vein that runs along the tail, but leave the tomalley-the pale-green mass close to the tail-intact. (It adds wonderful flavor to the sauce.) Repeat with the remaining lobsters.
• In a wide, heavy skillet, heat 1 cup of the vegetable oil over medium heat. Pat all the lobster pieces dry with paper towels. Dredge the meat side of the lobster halves lightly in flour and add as many of them, cut side down, as fit comfortably to the skillet. Cook until the lobster meat is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining lobster body pieces, adding more oil to the pan as needed. When all the lobster halves have been browned, add the claws and joints to the pan and cook, turning them with long-handled tongs, until the shells turn bright red on all sides, about 4 minutes. Turn the lobster pieces carefully-they are likely to splatter.
• Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep braising pan large enough to hold all the lobster pieces over medium heat. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and add them along with the lobster legs to the oil. Cook, shaking the pan, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, add the peppers and dried oregano, and season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil and adjust the heat to a lively simmer. Cook 10 minutes.
• Stir in the fresh oregano and tuck all the lobster pieces into the sauce. Cook at a lively simmer just until the lobster meat is cooked through and juicy, about 5 minutes. If the sauce becomes too dense as it simmers, ladle a little of the pasta-cooking water into the pan. Keep the sauce and lobster warm over very low heat.
• Meanwhile, stir the linguine into the boiling water. Cook, stirring frequently, until done, about 6 minutes. Drain the linguine and return it to the pot. Spoon the liquid portion of the lobster sauce over the pasta, leaving just enough sauce behind in the pan to keep the lobster pieces moist. Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, stirring gently to coat the pasta with sauce. Check the seasoning, adding salt if necessary.
• Divide the linguine among 6 pasta bowls. Top each with a lobster body and claw. Spoon some of the sauce remaining in the pan over each serving, and serve immediately.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, and saute over medium heat until they begin to brown. Stir in the pepper flakes and oregano. Stir in stock, tomato paste and bay leaf. Pour the canned tomatoes into a strainer held over the saucepan so that you add the juice but not the pulp. Chop the pulp; then, add it to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, and cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes. Season to taste with black pepper. Set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil in a large saute pan. Add lobster pieces, and sear them over high heat, turning often, until the shells are bright red.
• While the lobster is searing, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the linguine.
• Spoon the sauce over the lobster, bring to a simmer and cook, partly covered, about 10 minutes.
• While the lobster is cooking in the sauce, add the linguine to the boiling water, and cook about 7 minutes, until al dente. Drain well.
• To serve, transfer the lobster pieces coated with sauce to one side of a large platter, leaving some of the sauce in the pan. Sprinkle with half the parsley.
• Add the drained linguine to the sauce in the pan, and reheat briefly, stirring to coat the linguine. Transfer to the platter alongside the lobster, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• 1. Pour the tomatoes, with all their juices, into a food processor and pulse until well blended. Set aside.
• 2. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the lobster pieces, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently (and adding more oil if needed), until the lobster turns bright red, 10 to 12 minutes.
• 3. Add the shallots and garlic to the lobster, and toss with tongs. Add the wine and cognac, and cook over medium heat, turning the lobster carefully with tongs, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Then add the bell pepper, jalape&ntilede;o, processed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, 6 tablespoons of the parsley, and the basil and oregano. Simmer (do not boil), stirring occasionally, over medium to medium-low heat until the flavors blend together, 20 minutes.
• 4. While the mixture is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghettini and cook until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, and set aside.
• 5. To serve, make delicate swirls of spaghettini in the center of four shallow pasta bowls. Arrange the lobster tails and claws, with the sauce, on top of the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley. Serve the lobster bodies and legs in a separate bowl and let the guests help themselves. Serve immediately, with plenty of napkins.

MAMA ZUQUINIS LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• Heat oil in an 8 qt Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Toss lobster pieces (including reserved bodies) in flour and shake off excess. Add to pot and cook until shells turn red, turning occasionally (about 6 minutes). Transfer lobster pieces to a plate and set aside.
• Add chile flakes, oregano, and garlic to pot and saute until lightly toasted (3 minutes). Add tomato paste and stir once or twice until lightly caramelized (2 minutes).
• Add cognac and stir slowly until almost evaporated (3 minutes). Add stock, tomatoes, and bay leaf and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, partially covered, until thickened (30 minutes). While sauce is cooking, remove lobster meat from reserved bodies and chop into bite-sized pieces.
• Return all of the lobster to pot and cook until cooked through (about 10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Add pasta; toss with sauce.
• Transfer to a large serving platter; sprinkle with parsley.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• This first part might not be pleasant, but it'll be over quickly: Working with 1 lobster at a time, place on a cutting board, belly side down, with head facing you (freezing them 8-10 minutes first will render them fairly immobile). Insert a chef's knife where the tail meets the head, and swiftly bisect head lengthwise in one fell swoop (leave tail intact). Using the back of a cleaver or a lobster cracker, crack each claw on all sides. Twist off tails and cut in half through shells lengthwise. Remove any tomalley or eggs (reserve if you like). Twist off knuckles and claws, then separate knuckles from claws using cleaver.
• Heat 1/3 cup oil in a wide Dutch oven or heavy pot that's large enough to hold pasta over medium-high. Season lobsters with salt and, working in separate batches and being careful not to overcrowd pot, sear lobster pieces, turning occasionally and adding more oil if pot looks dry, until shells are bright red, about 4 minutes for knuckles, claws, and tails; about 6 minutes for heads. Transfer lobsters to a rimmed baking sheet; let cool slightly. Remove pot from heat and add brandy. Return to heat and cook, scraping up browned bits, until smell of alcohol is almost gone, about 2 minutes. Transfer brandy mixture to a small bowl. Pick lobster meat from knuckles and claws; discard shells. Place in an airtight container with tails; cover and chill until ready to use. Set heads aside. Wipe out pot and reserve.
• Working in batches, pulse onions, carrots, and fennel separately in a food processor until finely chopped; transfer vegetables to a large bowl after each is chopped. Heat remaining 1/3 cup oil in reserved pot over medium-high. Cook vegetables, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, chiles, and 1 tsp. red pepper flakes and cook, smashing garlic with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly darkened, about 3 minutes. Add wine and reserved lobster heads; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by one-third, about 2 minutes. Add tomato purée to pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes. Discard lobster heads.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente. Drain, reserving 3 cups pasta cooking liquid.
• Add butter, chilled lobster meat, lobster tails, pasta, reserved brandy mixture, and 2 cups pasta cooking liquid to sauce. Cook, tossing to combine and adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Because you're working with a large amount of pasta and sauce, this will take effort-toss using a long sturdy spoon in each hand, and make sure to get to the bottom of pot as you go. Add parsley and lemon juice, then transfer pasta to a platter, arranging lobster tails on top. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
• Do Ahead
• Lobsters can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

SHRIMP FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes.
• In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over a medium high flame. Add the shrimp and saute until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a large plate and set aside.
• Add the onion to the same skillet and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano, and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture and toss to coat.
• Remove from heat and stir in the parsley and basil.
• Season with more salt to taste and serve over linquine or your favorite pasta.