Mama Zuquinis 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.

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.

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 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.

MAINE LOBSTER FRA DIABLO

Steps:

• Cut the lobster in half lengthwise. Remove the small, opaque clumps of tissue located next to the eye. Do not remove anything else from the lobster; the juices and the roe are what give the sauce its flavor. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic and cook for a few minutes. Do not let the garlic burn or it will leave a bitter taste. Add the lobster flesh side down and cook until the roe is firm, about 1 minute. Add the white wine, tomato sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook a few minutes more until all the ingredients blend together. Add the chopped parsley and salt, to taste. Do not overcook the lobster; it will become tough. Add the sauce and lobster to the cooked linguini and serve immediately.

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.

MAMA ZUQUINIS MALFATTI

Steps:

• Place the frozen spinach in a saucepan with the salt. Cook until thawed (15 min) over low heat. Drain squeezing out the water from the spinach and then mince until fine.
• In a large bowl, combine the spinach, breadcrumbs, the two cheeses, eggs, the herbs, the nutmeg and black pepper. Mix well and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to make, form oval dumplings 3 inches long and about 1 inch in diameter. Roll each dumpling in the flour. Do not let them touch each other while they stand.
• Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop the dumplings into the salted water to form one layer. When they have risen to the surface, cook for 4 more minutes.
• Lift out the cooked malfatti, letting them drain well, and place into a well-buttered oven proof dish in a 250 degrees F oven while the other batches cook.
• To serve, toss with butter and serve. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and 1 cup marinara per person.
• NOTE: can be frozen after cooking. To serve, toss frozen malfatti in melted butter and Parmesan cheese, place in a well buttered dish and heat in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

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.

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.

MOM'S CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cook spaghetti according to package directions for al dente. Drain; transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Add 2 teaspoons butter and toss to coat. , Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings, reserving 1 tablespoon in pan. Add mushrooms, onion and green pepper to drippings; cook and stir over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes or until tender. Remove from pan., In same pan, heat remaining butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually whisk in broth. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; cook and stir 3-5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add chicken, peas, pimientos and mushroom mixture; heat through, stirring occasionally. Spoon over spaghetti. Sprinkle with bacon and cheese., Bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

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.

THE REALTOR'S SEAFOOD FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil, add onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally unitl starting to soften. Add tomatoes with their juice, tomato sauce, wine, basil, and red pepper flakes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Never add oil to the water or the sauce won't stick to the pasta later.
• When the pasta is just about done, add the shrimp to the sauce mixture and cook about 3-4 minutes until just oink.
• Drain pasta and spoon sauce over pasta. Sprinkle the crabmeat over top being careful not to break up the lumps.
• NOTE- you can use the crabmeat or switch it out and substitute scallops, clams, oysters, calamari or any combination of seafood you like best. Our favorites are crabmeat and/or scallops with the shrimp.

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.