Smoked Lobster With Corn And Peppers Over Soft Polenta Food

PORK RAGù OVER CREAMY POLENTA

Steps:

• Pork:
• Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Cook pork, turning often, until evenly browned, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a platter and pour off pan drippings.
• Wipe out any burned bits from pot, but leave the golden-brown pieces (doing this will keep the finished sauce from tasting bitter). Add onion and garlic to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to brown and caramelize, 12-15 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly darkened in color, 5-8 minutes.
• Add wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by about half, 5-8 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you go, then add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves; stir in 2 cups water. Add pork with any juices accumulated on the platter; season with salt and pepper.
• Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until pork is falling-apart tender, sauce is thickened (it will be thicker than a typical pasta sauce), and flavors have melded, 2 1/2-3 hours.
• Using 2 forks, break up pork into pieces or shred it (your choice!); taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Do ahead: Pork can be cooked 5 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill in sauce.
• Polenta and assembly:
• Bring 6 cups salted water to a boil in a large pot. Whisking constantly, gradually add polenta; reduce heat to medium-low.
• Cook, whisking often, until polenta is tender and creamy, 20-25 minutes (if polenta becomes too thick too soon, loosen mixture by adding more water and continue cooking). Add butter and 1/2 cup Parmesan to polenta and whisk until melted; season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon polenta into bowls or onto a platter and top with pork. Scatter parsley and more Parmesan over top and drizzle with oil.

CORN AND LOBSTER CHOWDER

Steps:

• If using thawed frozen lobster tails, cook in pot of boiling water until almost cooked through, about 6 minutes. Drain. Cool. Using kitchen shears, cut lobster shells open. Remove lobster meat; cut into bite-size pieces. Discard shells.
• Purée 4 cups corn with 1 1/4 cups broth in processor until almost smooth.
• Sauté bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour off and discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from pot. Add onions to pot; sauté until light golden, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 4 cups corn; sauté 3 minutes. Add carrots, celery, and cayenne; sauté until vegetables soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Add clam juice and 1 3/4 cups broth; simmer 10 minutes. Stir in corn puré and whipping cream; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Lobster, bacon, and soup can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill lobster and bacon separately. Cool soup slightly; chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Bring bacon to room temperature and bring soup to simmer before continuing.) Remove soup from heat; stir in sour cream.
• Melt butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add lobster meat and sauté just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with lobster pieces, bacon, and chives and serve.

SMOKED LOBSTER WITH CORN AND PEPPERS OVER SOFT POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Place in a bowl and toss with the lobster, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm. Place the peppers in the skillet and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Keep warm.
• To make the polenta, bring the water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Whisking constantly, add the cornmeal in a slow, steady stream. Switch to a wooden spoon, lower the heat and stir until thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining salt.
• Spoon the polenta onto the center of 4 plates. Surround the polenta with the peppers. Top with the lobster mixture and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

LOBSTER SCAMPI OVER CREAMY POLENTA WITH GARLIC CHIPS

Steps:

• For the garlic chips: Add the oil to a small saute pan to fill 1/4 inch up the sides and heat over medium-high heat. Once heated, add 1 garlic slice to test; if it sizzles when added, then add the remaining garlic. Fry until golden brown. Remove the chips from the oil and place on a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt. Make sure not to step away, constantly stir and be ready to remove once golden brown.
• For the polenta: To a medium saucepan over high heat, add the oil and shallots and sweat the shallots, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the warmed stock to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the polenta in a fine stream, whisking constantly with a wire whisk. Once all the polenta has been added, reduce the heat to low. Stir, using a wooden spoon, every 5 minutes and continue cooking until all the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is very creamy, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and heavy cream until combined. Stir in the creme fraiche. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• For the lobster sauce: To a saute pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the butter and melt. Add the lobster and toss to combine. Add the garlic paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Deglaze with the white wine and reduce. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and swirl to combine. Remove from the heat and add the parsley, tarragon and lemon zest.
• To serve: Add some of the polenta to a plate. Top with some of the sauteed lobster and sauce. Garnish with garlic chips, chervil and freshly ground black pepper.

SOFT POLENTA

Steps:

• Add 4 1/2 cups water, 1 tablespoon salt and the olive oil to a medium saucepot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in the cornmeal in a steady stream, until it is all incorporated and smooth.
• Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook at a simmer until the polenta is creamy and fully hydrated, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Take the saucepot off the heat and whisk in the butter and Parmesan. Season with additional salt and pepper. Transfer the polenta to a large serving bowl and serve.

SMOKED PAPRIKA SHRIMP/POBLANO POLENTA/RED PEPPER-AGAVE SAUCE

Steps:

• FOR THE RED PEPPER-AGAVE SAUCE:
• Heat oil in small skillet on medium heat.
• Add onion; cook and stir 2 minutes or until softened.
• Add agave nectar; cook and stir 1 minute or until onion starts to caramelize.
• Place roasted bell peppers, chicken stock, heavy cream, tomato paste and onion mixture in blender or food processor; cover.
• Puree until smooth.
• Spoon bell pepper mixture into medium saucepan.
• Bring to boil on medium heat.
• Cook 10 to 12 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
• Keep warm.
• FOR THE POBLANO POLENTA:.
• Bring milk and sea salt to simmer in heavy 2-quart saucepan on medium heat; whisking constantly, add polenta in thin stream.
• Stirring frequently, cook 10 minute.
• Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat & stir in butter, corn, cheese and chile until well mixed.
• Keep warm.
• FOR THE SMOKED PAPRIKA SHRIMP:.
• Toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
• Sprinkle with smoked paprika, sea salt and pepper.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat.
• Add shrimp; cook and stir 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.
• TO SERVE:.
• Spoon Poblano Polenta onto each plate.
• Drizzle Red Pepper-Agave Sauce around polenta.
• Arrange Smoked Paprika Shrimp on sauce.
• Sprinkle with green onions.
• *To roast the bell peppers and the Poblano chile on a gas stove-top, cook the peppers directly over a medium-high gas flame until blackened on all sides, turning with tongs. Transfer peppers and chile to a paper bag. Close bag. Let stand 15 minutes or until peppers are cool enough to handle. Peel off blackened skin. Remove tops, ribs and seeds.
• **To roast the bell peppers and the Poblano chile under the broiler, preheat broiler. Halve and core the peppers. Remove the tops, ribs and seeds. Place the pepper halves on a baking sheet, cut-side down. Broil 5 to 7 minutes or until the skin has blistered and blackened over the entire surface. Transfer to a paper bag. Close bag. Let stand 15 minutes or until peppers are cool enough to handle. Peel off blackened skin.