Lobster Tabbouleh With Basil Food

GRILLED LOBSTER SMOTHERED IN BASIL BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine the butter, basil, and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pack the mixture into a medium ramekin, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Split the lobsters in half lengthwise. Bring the knife down through the tail, making sure to cut just through the meat and to leave the shell connected. Lay the lobster open, leaving the two halves slightly attached. Pull off claws and legs from the lobsters and crack them slightly with the knife handle. Place the claws and legs on the grill over medium-low heat and cover with a pie pan. Cook them for 5 to 7 minutes per side. Brush the lobster bodies with the oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place them fleshside down on the grill over medium heat. Grill 8 to 10 minutes
• Remove the lobsters and slather with the basil butter.

LOBSTER WITH BASIL-LEMON BUTTER

Steps:

• Add enough water to a large pot to fill it a third of the way-enough to steam, but not fully submerge the lobster-and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, make the compound butter by placing butter, herbs, shallot, salt, a few grinds of pepper, and zest in bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, adding water 1 spoonful at a time if necessary to loosen and blend properly. Add lemon juice and process again to combine. Transfer seasoned butter to small container, cover, and hold at room temperature. (Note: Butter can be made in advance, refrigerated, and brought back to room temperature for serving.)
• When water has boiled, add sea salt, approximately one handful for each quart of water. Add whole lobster and steam for 5 minutes.
• Remove lobster from pot using a large slotted spoon or tongs. When cool enough to handle, break down the lobster in this order, placing each piece of meat gently on a plate: First, remove the claws. Then separate the tail from the head. Break the thick leg attached to the claw into two pieces at the joint, using the kitchen counter as leverage. Break the claw into two pieces, loosening at the joint. Split claw open with back of a chef's knife, and twisting at 90 degree angles. When the claw has cracked open, pull out the claw meat whole. Repeat with other claws.
• Lay each tail on its side and press down to crack; do not smash. Use thumbs to pull shell away, and gently pull the tail out whole. Trim away any ragged, small pieces of meat (and reserve for another use). Break down the elbows by gently cracking the shell with the back of a chef's knife in several places and peeling it away. Gently scrape the albumen from the meat.
• To finish, use the back of a spoon to smear some compound butter on the side of the plate. Slice lobster tail in half lengthwise, and arrange with other lobster pieces on the plate. Garnish meat with an additional dollop of butter, sea salt, a drizzle of olive oil, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

LOBSTER TABBOULEH WITH BASIL

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan place the chicken stock, butter, and the first 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
• Bring the liquid to a boil and then remove the pan from the heat.
• Add the couscous, cover the pan, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Transfer the couscous to a glass bowl and let it cool.
• In a small bowl place the basil, garlic, olive oil, and the second 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
• Mix the ingredients together and set the sauce aside.
• In a large saucepot place 4" of water and bring it to a boil over high heat.
• Add the lobsters and let them cool.
• Remove the lobster meat from the tails and claws.
• Remove and discard the intestinal tract from each tail.
• Cut the lobster meat into 1/2" pieces.
• In a medium bowl place the lobster pieces and 6 tablespoons of the basil-oil mixture.
• Toss the ingredients together so that the lobster is well coated.
• Set it aside.
• In another medium bowl place the cooled couscous, tomatoes, cucumbers, lemon juice, and the remainder of the basil-oil mixture.
• Toss the ingredients together well to make the tabbouleh.
• In the center of each of 4 individual serving plate place a mound of the tabbouleh.
• Arrange the lobster pieces around the edge.

LEMON AND FRESH HERB TABBOULEH

Steps:

• 1. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Stir together the bulgur and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heatproof bowl. Add boiling water to cover. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain in a sieve, pressing on the bulgur to remove any excess liquid.
• 2. Transfer the bulgur to a large bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the rest of the ingredients until everything is well mixed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Serve cold.

TABBOULEH

Steps:

• Rinse the bulgur wheat in a sieve until the water runs clear. Drain well, then transfer to a bowl. Pour over 200ml boiling water, cover with cling film and leave to soak for 30 mins or so while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Keeping the parsley in a bunch, chop the leaves roughly. Don't worry about the inclusion of some of the stalks; this all adds to the flavour. Now do the same with the mint. Put the chopped herbs in a large bowl and add the tomato and spring onion.
• Thoroughly drain the bulgur, then add to herb mix, along with lemon juice and olive oil. Mix thoroughly, season and serve.

BASIL TABBOULEH

Steps:

• In a bowl wash the bulgur in several changes of cold water, letting it settle to the bottom before pouring off most of the water, until the water is clear and drain it in a large fine sieve. Return the bulgur to the bowl, add enough cold water to cover it by 1 inch, and let the bulgur soak for 1 hour.
• While the bulgur is soaking, in a large bowl stir together the onion, the salt and the allspice and let the mixture stand for 30 minutes. Drain the bulgur in the sieve, pressing hard to extract as much water as possible, add it to the onion mixture with the herbs, the scallion, the lemon juice, the oil, the cucumber, the tomato, and salt and pepper to taste, and toss the salad well.

LOBSTER TAILS WITH BASIL AND CORN-COCONUT SAUCE

Steps:

• For the lobster and basil oil:.
• Combine oil and basil in a blender and blend for 2 minutes. Use a fine mesh strainer to strain into a bowl and season the oil with salt and pepper. Discard the basil pulp.
• Heat the grill to high. Thread 2 skewers through the tails lengthwise so that the meat lies flat on the grill. Brush the flesh with basil oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, flesh side down until slightly charred, about 2 to 3 minutes, flip over, brush top with more of the oil and continue grilling until just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm.
• For the grilled corn-coconut milk sauce:.
• Heat grill to high.
• Remove corn from water, place on the grill, close the cover and "steam" in the husk until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the grill, let cool slightly and remove the husks. Brush the corn with oil, season with salt and pepper and grill until the kernels are slightly charred. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Remove the kernels using a chef's knife and add to a bowl.
• Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the corn and toss to coat in the mixture. Pour in the coconut milk, bring to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes. Cool slightly; add to a food processor and puree. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with the lobster.

LOBSTER PASTA WITH YELLOW TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• If using whole lobsters, cook them in abundant boiling water for 6 minutes. Cool, remove meat from tail, claws and knuckles, and chop into 1/2-inch chunks.
• Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook pasta.
• Meanwhile, pour olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook for 1 minute, without browning. Add garlic and red pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and season generously with salt and pepper. Add lobster meat, stir to coat, cook 1 minute, then turn off heat until pasta is ready.
• When pasta is al dente, drain, add to skillet, and season with salt and pepper. Toss well and transfer to a warmed wide bowl or platter. Add basil, toss once more and serve immediately.