Lobster Boil

Last week I posted a recipe for Father's Day, an alternative to my usual Father's Day meal. You may have thought that was weird posting a Father's Day recipe so early. Honestly my calendar at work says that Father's Day is Sunday June 10th and that is why I posted it so early. Here is my traditional Father's Day meal. You can add additional things like sausage, crabs, mussels, etc. if you like. I often substitute some of the water with a bottle or 3 of beer. Happy Father's Day to my fellow fathers. By the way Cook's Illustrated ran on on-line contest for best Clam bake and this recipe won it for me. Chris Kimble sent me an autographed copy of season 10 of their TV show. He signs his autographs with his name and then draws a bow tie under it.

Lobster Boil

4 lobster tails, I used 4 oz tails for this

24 shrimp

4 ears corn on the cob

4 potatoes or 8 small red ones

1/4 cup Old Bay seasoning

Fill a large stock pot with water, turned to high so water will boil. Add the red potatoes or if using larger potatoes cut them into smaller pieces and add them. Let them boil 10 to 15 minutes until potatoes start to get soft. Add the Old Bay and the lobsters. After 5 minutes add corn and shrimp and let boil 3 or 4 minutes longer until shrimp are cooked. Drain off water and put the food in a big bowl. Enjoy and put out lots of napkins. You may want to put out butter, salt, pepper for corn and potatoes, cocktail sauce for shrimp and melted butter for lobster. Oh yea, don't forget an ice cold beer.

Lobster Boil

This is one of my favorite meals. For the last few years this has been my Father's Day meal. You can add additional things like sausage or shellfish if you like. Happy Father's Day to my fellow fathers.

Lobster Boil

4 lobster tails, I used 4 oz tails for this

24 shrimp

4 ears corn on the cob

4 potatoes or 8 small red ones

1/4 cup Old Bay seasoning

Fill a large stock pot with water, turned to high so water will boil. Add the red potatoes or if using larger potatoes cut them into smaller pieces and add them. Let them boil 10 to 15 minutes until potatoes start to get soft. Add the Old Bay and the lobsters. After 5 minutes add corn and shrimp and let boil 3 or 4 minutes longer until shrimp are cooked. Drain off water and put the food in a big bowl. Enjoy and put out lots of napkins. You may want to put out butter, salt, pepper for corn and potatoes, cocktail sauce for shrimp and melted butter for lobster. Oh yea, don't forget an ice cold beer.

Seafood Risotto

This was the main course for Annette and my Valentines Day dinner. It was the best risotto that I have ever made or eaten. I based it on a recipe from Emeril Lagasse. The best part was there was enough left over for 2 more meals. It was like BIll Murray in Groundhog Day, but we just got to keep eating the same really good meal over again.

Seafood Risotto

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 cups seafood stock*
2 cloves minced garlic
1 pound Arborio rice
1 pounds assorted shellfish and seafood, I used lobster tail, scallops and shrimp cut into bite side pieces
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup half and half
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 tablespoons chopped green onions, green part only
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

* I did not have any seafood stock, so I improvised and took 2 containers of chicken stock added an onion that I cut into quarters, 2 carrots and the lobster and shrimp shells and boiled for 1/2 hour. Then strained broth and it made a very good improvised substitute.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil, over medium heat. Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper, and saute until the onions are slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Now add 6 cups of the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the rice and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring constantly. Add additional stock if needed.

Season the seafood pieces with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 7 minutes. Stir in the butter, half and half, cheese, and green onions. Simmer for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. The rice should be soft, with a little bite, if so remove from the heat. Spoon the risotto in the center of a shallow bowl. Garnish with parsley.

Lobster Ravioli with Champagne Sauce

For New Years Eve my wife wanted lobster tails and scallops. The local grocery had a good deal on small lobster tails, so I bought 3 of them. Turns out that my daughter wasn't going to be home. What do you do with an extra lobster tail. I turned it into a ravioli stuffing, worthy of the celebrating the New Year. The Sauce is loosely based on a recipe by Pam Anderson's, no not the one from Bay Watch, The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight & Eating Great. This recipe will serve 4 people.

Lobster Ravioli with Champagne Sauce


For the Ravioli:
4 oz Lobster Tail, cooked & cut into small pieces
4 Shrimp, cooked & cut into small pieces
1/4 c Ricotta Cheese
1 chive, cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp dried herbs, I used basil and parsley
6 egg roll wrappers, cut in 1/2 this will make 12 ravioli
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp water

For the Sauce:
1/4 Cup chicken broth
1/4 Cup Champagne
1/2 Cup 2% Evaporated Milk
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tbs butter
1 1/2 tbs all purpose flour
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
3/4 -1 tsp dried herbs, I used Parsley, Basil & Oregano
Water from the Ravioli

To Make the Ravioli:
Mix first 5 Ravioli ingredients together and let flavors meld for 15 minutes. Crack egg in small bowl, add water and whisk. Then take 1/2 of egg roll sheet (mine were 6 x 6 inches, so I had 3x3 inch raviolis) and spread outer edge of 1 side with egg wash. Put about 1 tsp - 1 1/2 tsp of mixture in center of ravioli and fold top 1/2 over that. Press edges tightly together until they are sealed. You should start pressing at the center and work your way out toward the edge forcing any air pockets out of the ravioli. The biggest mistake people make when doing this is putting to much mixture in the center, so they don't get a good seal and then the mixture will leak out or rip. Add ravioli to a large pot of boiling water that is well salted. When the ravioli float to the top they are done, about 5 minutes.

To Make the Sauce:
In a large bowl mix first 4 ingredients. Put in microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes, until steamy but not full boil. Set aside and let this cool a little. In a high sided pot or pan add butter, when it melts add the flour and whisk until butter is absorbed. Add the liquids and constantly whisk until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Add the Parmesan and herbs and some salt and pepper. Let simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. If this is to thick add some pasta water to thin, add just a little at a time until it is at desired thickness. You will probably want it a little thinner then in the pictures here, sometimes you get interrupted while cooking and the sauce thickens back up. :-) But it was still delicious.

Lobster Boil

Ok, this one isn't Italian, but it is an American holiday weekend and this is a good easy recipe that can be changed to feed a crowd. You can add additional things like sausage to stretch it out to feed more people. This is one of my favorite meals.

Lobster Boil

4 lobster tails, I used 4 oz tails for this

24 shrimp

4 ears corn on the cob

4 potatoes or 8 small red ones

1/4 cup Old Bay seasoning

Fill a large stock pot with water, turned to high so water will boil. Add the red potatoes or if using larger potatoes cut them into smaller pieces and add them. Let them boil 10 to 15 minutes until potatoes start to get soft. Add the Old Bay and the lobsters. After 5 minutes add corn and shrimp and let boil 3 or 4 minutes longer until shrimp are cooked. Drain off water and put the food in a big bowl. Enjoy and put out lots of napkins. You may want to put out butter, salt, pepper for corn and potatoes, cocktail sauce for shrimp and melted butter for lobster. Oh yea, don't forget an ice cold beer.