Lobster for Eight please!
December 30, 2014 4:29 PM Subscribe
We're having surf and turf for New Years. Yay! I'm in charge of the surf, i.e., lobsters for eight, but I need advice on how best to do this.
I ordered eight 1.5 lb live lobsters from Maine, to be delivered tomorrow. I love the whole ritual of cracking and digging out the tastiness, but our guests are all West Coasters accustomed to frozen tails served without fuss. I found this recipe, and it looks like a good way to go, but I haven't done this before. Since we're all paying $25 each for the lobster, I want to make sure that it's not just good, but great. And not fussy...at all.
Thanks for any suggestions!
I ordered eight 1.5 lb live lobsters from Maine, to be delivered tomorrow. I love the whole ritual of cracking and digging out the tastiness, but our guests are all West Coasters accustomed to frozen tails served without fuss. I found this recipe, and it looks like a good way to go, but I haven't done this before. Since we're all paying $25 each for the lobster, I want to make sure that it's not just good, but great. And not fussy...at all.
Thanks for any suggestions!
Mmm - we are having lobsters tomorrow as well. I prefer them plain: I'm going to bring a very large pot of water to the boil. In it will be whole black pepper, salt and laurel leaves. (Almost as salty as sea water, not too peppery and with the laurel as an accent - it all depends on the size of your pot). When the water has been boiling for a while, I'm going to put in the lobsters very quickly, head first, and put the lid on. Then I will bring to the boil, and boil gently for maybe 10 minutes before I turn off the heat and let the lobsters cool down in the water.
Your lobsters are bigger than mine, so they probably need 15 minutes.
Cut the lobsters in half with a very sharp knife, remove the black string going through them, and bang the claws, wrapped in a cloth, with a hammer.
Add all the condiments you like and bread.
And like quince says, a bowl of warm water or infusion and big towels!
posted by mumimor at 5:02 PM on December 30, 2014
Your lobsters are bigger than mine, so they probably need 15 minutes.
Cut the lobsters in half with a very sharp knife, remove the black string going through them, and bang the claws, wrapped in a cloth, with a hammer.
Add all the condiments you like and bread.
And like quince says, a bowl of warm water or infusion and big towels!
posted by mumimor at 5:02 PM on December 30, 2014
New Englander here. Plain as the previous posters said. Easier and tastier than that recipe. You could definitely pre crack and pre drain the shells. I always do this for my guests when we serve it. Mmmm. And lots of butter.
posted by MayNicholas at 5:40 PM on December 30, 2014
posted by MayNicholas at 5:40 PM on December 30, 2014
Oh man. I'm gonna have to agree. There is nothing better than eating lobster out of the shell, and that claw meat. Clarify the butter if you want to be fancy. But serving a plain ole lobster tail is so restauranty. Ugh. I have sat at Five Islands, at a picnic table, with a freshly steamed lobster and a piece of corn and just dug into that thing. It's amazing, and I want to say, screw that turf. Give me the sublime lobster claw dipped in butter, that ethereal experience that compares to no other. And make it slow. Perhaps serve the lobster first?
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 5:51 PM on December 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 5:51 PM on December 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for the comments so far! Lots of butter is a given, but I did have two very specific requests for no cracking at the table (one has a permanent tremor and another has her arm in a cast). It's also meant to be on the elegant side of the spectrum.
So can I prepare the lobsters ahead of time, get the tail and at least the claw meat out (I know the knuckle is yummy but I may not have the time) and serve at least in the cleaned out shell?
Also, boil or steam? I see different opinions. Oh and thank you quince for the hand towel idea! Next time I serve these babies east coast style, I will definitely do that.
posted by Gusaroo at 6:03 PM on December 30, 2014
So can I prepare the lobsters ahead of time, get the tail and at least the claw meat out (I know the knuckle is yummy but I may not have the time) and serve at least in the cleaned out shell?
Also, boil or steam? I see different opinions. Oh and thank you quince for the hand towel idea! Next time I serve these babies east coast style, I will definitely do that.
posted by Gusaroo at 6:03 PM on December 30, 2014
If you have freezer space, put the lobster in for a few hours before cooking them. It's considered the most humane way to kill lobsters at the moment, as they go into a sort of sleepy coma induced by the cold.
Is there anything wrong with presenting the lobster tail and claw meet simply with a salad or potatoes? You can pre-crack and shell them, but they will cool quickly.
posted by guster4lovers at 6:10 PM on December 30, 2014
Is there anything wrong with presenting the lobster tail and claw meet simply with a salad or potatoes? You can pre-crack and shell them, but they will cool quickly.
posted by guster4lovers at 6:10 PM on December 30, 2014
Steam them. If you use a turkey fryer (if you have one, or use the turkey fryer burner with a canner) you can steam them all very comfortably and all at the same time.
I think if you have a helper (and can get everyone else out of the kitchen, seated at the table (first course?), and out of the way, you'd be able to break down all 8 lobsters before any of them get too cold, and maybe you only need to fully break down a couple of them for those particular guests. If the butter is already melted and your workspace is ready to go, it really doesn't take too long to peel the tails, pull of the legs, and split the claws. And if your helper only does a few, he or she can wash up and start serving while you wrap up the last one & wash up yourself. I think the trick will be treating your kitchen like a lobster-peeling factory and preparing accordingly.
posted by janell at 6:28 PM on December 30, 2014
I think if you have a helper (and can get everyone else out of the kitchen, seated at the table (first course?), and out of the way, you'd be able to break down all 8 lobsters before any of them get too cold, and maybe you only need to fully break down a couple of them for those particular guests. If the butter is already melted and your workspace is ready to go, it really doesn't take too long to peel the tails, pull of the legs, and split the claws. And if your helper only does a few, he or she can wash up and start serving while you wrap up the last one & wash up yourself. I think the trick will be treating your kitchen like a lobster-peeling factory and preparing accordingly.
posted by janell at 6:28 PM on December 30, 2014
Best answer: Yeah it's going to be very difficult to cook, clean out the shells, and still serve hot, and lobster doesn't really reheat well. (Unless you go for like a lobster risotto or something? Maybe serve the knuckle and claw meat in a risotto and then the tails with the turf?)
But there's a way to get the best of both worlds; I think this should fit within your guests' abilities.
Kill the lobsters by driving the point of a chef's knife behind the head and crack down very fast and very hard to the table, splitting the head in half. Tear off the tail by twisting and trim the most ragged bits. Using kitchen shears, carefully split the top of the tail shell down to the little hind flipper things--leave those intact. Now gently open the shell without cracking it to expose the meat, season with S&P/butter/_____ . Broil until cooked. Save the rest for omelettes on 1 Jan, or:
The rest of the lobsters put in a pot, and pour over enough boiling water (just plain water, not seasoned, though you can throw fresh herbs in if you like) to cover them. Cover the pot with saran or a tight lid, leave for ten minutes. Remove and plunge lobsters into an ice bath, then crack shells and extract meat. The same cooking method (pour boiling water over) works with whole lobsters, but may not be practical or safe in your kitchen. Not a whole lot of difference between boiling and steaming, except that it's easier to add flavouring to a boiled lobster.
Keep the water, return it to the stove with some rough chopped onions or leeks, all the lobster shells (minus the tomalley and stuff), and simmer for an hour--there's your lobster stock for risotto. (If you want to go hat route I can give you a recipe, and risotto really really does not require 40 minutes standing over the stove).
You could also skip the risotto, and simmer the extra meat in butter. Add some chopped parsley and a little salt and pepper, maybe a squeeze of lemon, and you have sauce for your surf and turf.
If you want the tails to remain straight, slide a skewer lengthwise through the tail, following the lower shell.
And actually after typing all that out, I have an idea: Cook the lobsters whole. Chop in half and remove all the meat, also claws if you like. Tidy up the shells and put them on the plates. Leave tails whole or chop to fork-manageable pieces, whichever you like, and place in a large pot of melted butter to keep/re-warm. Then you can just strain that with a slotted spoon and place in the shells with fresh chopped parsley. Pour the butter into smaller containers and cool, and you have lobster butter for quite some time. (It freezes fine, just seal tightly.)
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 6:33 PM on December 30, 2014 [7 favorites]
But there's a way to get the best of both worlds; I think this should fit within your guests' abilities.
Kill the lobsters by driving the point of a chef's knife behind the head and crack down very fast and very hard to the table, splitting the head in half. Tear off the tail by twisting and trim the most ragged bits. Using kitchen shears, carefully split the top of the tail shell down to the little hind flipper things--leave those intact. Now gently open the shell without cracking it to expose the meat, season with S&P/butter/_____ . Broil until cooked. Save the rest for omelettes on 1 Jan, or:
The rest of the lobsters put in a pot, and pour over enough boiling water (just plain water, not seasoned, though you can throw fresh herbs in if you like) to cover them. Cover the pot with saran or a tight lid, leave for ten minutes. Remove and plunge lobsters into an ice bath, then crack shells and extract meat. The same cooking method (pour boiling water over) works with whole lobsters, but may not be practical or safe in your kitchen. Not a whole lot of difference between boiling and steaming, except that it's easier to add flavouring to a boiled lobster.
Keep the water, return it to the stove with some rough chopped onions or leeks, all the lobster shells (minus the tomalley and stuff), and simmer for an hour--there's your lobster stock for risotto. (If you want to go hat route I can give you a recipe, and risotto really really does not require 40 minutes standing over the stove).
You could also skip the risotto, and simmer the extra meat in butter. Add some chopped parsley and a little salt and pepper, maybe a squeeze of lemon, and you have sauce for your surf and turf.
If you want the tails to remain straight, slide a skewer lengthwise through the tail, following the lower shell.
And actually after typing all that out, I have an idea: Cook the lobsters whole. Chop in half and remove all the meat, also claws if you like. Tidy up the shells and put them on the plates. Leave tails whole or chop to fork-manageable pieces, whichever you like, and place in a large pot of melted butter to keep/re-warm. Then you can just strain that with a slotted spoon and place in the shells with fresh chopped parsley. Pour the butter into smaller containers and cool, and you have lobster butter for quite some time. (It freezes fine, just seal tightly.)
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 6:33 PM on December 30, 2014 [7 favorites]
Maybe do lobster rolls from the non-tail parts as an appetiser? Then the "keep them hot" part, which seems like it'll be the most difficult bit, becomes totally moot, and it can be eaten without cracking.
posted by Itaxpica at 7:14 PM on December 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Itaxpica at 7:14 PM on December 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
Lobster Thermidore requires more prep, but no fiddly messing about when it's served -- you are removing all the meat and refilling the lobsters with a meat/sauce blend. Very delicious!
posted by ananci at 9:21 PM on December 30, 2014
posted by ananci at 9:21 PM on December 30, 2014
Response by poster: Feckless, your last paragraph nailed it! Thank you!!
And all the other suggestions were good, just not for NYE.
posted by Gusaroo at 10:25 PM on December 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
And all the other suggestions were good, just not for NYE.
posted by Gusaroo at 10:25 PM on December 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Just to follow up, we cooked the whole lobsters as feckless fecal fear mongering suggested, pouring boiling water over the lobsters, steeped them for 10 minutes, ice bath, then got all that incredible meat out. Then poached the meat in butter and a little lemon zest for 15 minutes or so. Served it in the cleaned tail shells with parsley.
The BEST!
posted by Gusaroo at 9:19 AM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
The BEST!
posted by Gusaroo at 9:19 AM on January 1, 2015 [1 favorite]
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posted by quince at 4:57 PM on December 30, 2014 [4 favorites]