Roast Lobster With Basil Mint Pesto Food

ROASTED LOBSTER WITH BASIL-MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Blanch basil and mint leaves in large saucepan of boiling water 5 seconds. Drain. Transfer leaves to large bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. Squeeze leaves to remove excess liquid.
• Mince garlic in processor. Add basil and mint leaves, 1/3 cup olive oil, and pine nuts. Puree until pesto is smooth.
• Drop 1 lobster headfirst into large pot of boiling water. Cover; cook 3 minutes (lobster will not be fully cooked). Using tongs, transfer lobster to work surface. Return water to boil. Repeat with remaining lobsters, 1 at a time. Place 1 lobster, shell side down, on work surface. Place tip of large knife in center of lobster. Cut lobster lengthwise in half from center to end of head (knife might not cut through shell), then cut in half from center to end of tail (use poultry shears to cut through shell if necessary). Crack claws. Repeat with remaining lobsters.
• Arrange lobster halves, cut side up, on 2 heavy large baking sheets. Discard head sac and long thin intestinal tract that runs alongside lobster tail meat. Transfer pale green tomalley (liver) from body cavity to pesto in processor. Brush lobster meat with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper.
• Blend tomalley into pesto. Transfer to medium bowl. Stir in Parmesan cheese and cream, then panko and lemon peel. Season pesto mixture with salt and pepper; divide among lobster halves, filling cavities and covering meat completely.
• Roast lobsters until meat is just cooked through and topping is golden, about 14 minutes. Serve with lemon.
• Available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH BASIL & MINT PESTO

Steps:

• First, make the pesto. Put all the ingredients (except the olive oil and lemon juice) and a pinch of salt into the small bowl of a food processor. Pulse until very finely chopped. While the processor is on, drizzle the olive oil in to make a paste. Tip the pesto into a small bowl and stir in the lemon juice.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the scored lamb leg in a large roasting tin and use half the pesto to generously coat the skin and flesh, pressing it between all the cracks for extra juiciness. Put the rest of the pesto in the fridge, covered with cling film, and remove just before serving.
• Roast the lamb for 1 hr 45 mins. Check during cooking that it's not drying out - if the base of the roasting tin starts to look dry, spread a little more pesto over the top of the lamb.
• Remove the lamb from the tin, cover with foil and leave to rest for 30-40 mins before serving on lemon slices and fresh garden herbs, if you like. Carve at the table and serve with the remaining pesto to drizzle over.

BASIL-MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Chop the basil, mint and nuts coarsely. Add them along with the Parmesan cheese and garlic to a food processor.
• Gradually add the olive oil through the feed tube and process until pesto is well-blended.
• Transfer to bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover tightly and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Yield is estimated.