Lobster Claw Toasts Recipes

LOBSTER TOASTS WITH AVOCADO AND ESPELETTE PEPPER

Steps:

• If using live lobster, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and prepare a large bowl of ice water. Add lobster to boiling water, cover, and cook for 9 minutes, until shell is bright red all over. Drain and transfer lobster to ice water to cool. Remove meat from claws, knuckles, and tail; pat lobster meat dry with paper towels and cut into 1/4" pieces.
• Combine mayonnaise, crème fraîche, 1 tsp. lemon juice, lemon zest, 1 tsp. tarragon, and chives in a medium bowl. Fold in lobster meat and season with salt.
• Mash avocado in a small bowl with remaining 1 tsp. lemon juice and season with salt.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Cut brioche into twenty-four 1 1/2" squares. Toast on rimmed baking sheet until lightly browned and dry, about 12 minutes.
• Spread avocado on toasts and top with lobster salad. Sprinkle with espelette pepper and tarragon and serve.
• Lobster salad can be made up to 2 days in advance; refrigerate in an airtight container. Toasts can be made up to 2 days in advance; store in airtight container at room temperature.

CHILI LOBSTER WITH TEXAS TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400. Fill a large pot with salted water and place it over high heat until it comes to a boil. Poach the lobsters for approximately 5 minutes, then remove from water and place in an ice bath to cool them quickly. (Do not discard the poaching liquid.) Once they are cooled, cut off the claws, knuckles and tails and refrigerate them until ready to prepare the final dish. Split open the heads, and remove the tomalley, which is delicious to some but not so pretty in this dish. Lift the legs away from the shell to reveal the gills, and cut them out using scissors. Break the heads apart by hand into large pieces.
• Place a large, oven-safe saucepan over high heat, and add the oil, heating it until it shimmers and verges on smoking. Add the lobster heads to the pan and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste to coat the shells. Add the shallots, stir to combine and put the pan in the oven. Cook for 8 to 12 minutes, or until well roasted.
• Transfer the pan to the stove. Add the wine and herbs, bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by half. Add 6 cups of the reserved lobster poaching liquid to the reduced stock. Simmer the stock for an additional 90 minutes, reducing it. Strain through a fine sieve.
• Make the chili lobster. Cut the tails into 1-inch pieces, then crack the claws and remove the meat. In a wok or a large skillet set over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons canola oil until just smoking. Add the ginger and onion and cook, stirring, for approximately 1 minute. Add the lobster tails, still in their shell, and the claw meat, turn heat down to medium and cook for approximately 2 minutes, or until hot. Add the stock, and return it to a boil. Transfer lobster pieces to a large serving plate, leaving the stock in the pan to reduce by half. Sprinkle the lobster with mint.
• To the reduced stock, add soy and Sriracha and whisk in 3 tablespoons butter, one tablespoon at a time. Add a squeeze of lime juice, and adjust seasonings. Toast the bread, butter it generously and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cut into triangles. Spoon sauce over the lobster and garnish with sliced scallions. Serve with toast

LOBSTER CLAW TOASTS

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut baguette with a serrated knife on a long diagonal into 3/4-inch-thick slices (about 5 to 6 inches long). Cut a lengthwise slit about 3 inches long from center through edge of a slice, then cross ends, overlapping them, to form a "claw." Repeat with remaining slices. Brush both sides of slices with oil and arrange in 1 layer on a large baking sheet, then sprinkle with sea salt.
• Bake until crisp and golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on a rack.

LOBSTER GELEES WITH FRESH TARRAGON OIL

Steps:

• Cook lobsters and make stock:
• Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in pot, then plunge 2 lobsters headfirst into water and cook, covered, 8 minutes from time they enter water. Transfer with tongs to a shallow baking pan to cool. Return water to a boil and cook remaining 2 lobsters in same manner.
• When lobsters are cool enough to handle, remove meat from tail and claws and set aside. Cut tail shells and lobster bodies (not including claws) into 1-inch pieces with kitchen shears, then rinse well, discarding gills, eye sacs, tomalley, any roe, and claw shells. Transfer to a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot, then add wine, carrots, celery, fennel, onion, garlic, large tarragon sprigs, salt, fennel seeds, red-pepper flakes, and remaining 2 quarts water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to about 6 cups, about 1 1/2 hours.
• While stock reduces, scrape any coagulated white albumin from lobster meat with a knife and cut meat into 1/2-inch pieces, then chill, covered.
• Make gelées:
• Pour stock through a dampened cheesecloth-lined large sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids. Transfer 2 3/4 cups stock to a bowl. (Cool remaining stock completely, uncovered, then freeze in an airtight container for another use.) Sprinkle gelatin evenly over 1/4 cup stock in a 1-quart saucepan, then let stand 1 minute to soften. Heat over moderately low heat, stirring, just until gelatin is dissolved, then stir in vinegar and remaining 2 1/2 cups stock.
• Put molds in a baking pan. Add 2 teaspoons gelatin mixture to each mold and freeze until set, about 10 minutes. Put 1 small sprig of tarragon and a tip of claw meat in bottom of each mold, then divide lobster meat among molds. Fill with remaining gelatin mixture and chill, covered with plastic wrap, until set, at least 2 hours.
• To unmold, dip 1 mold in a pan of hot water 3 to 5 seconds to loosen. Run a thin knife around edge of mold and invert gelée out onto a plate. Repeat with remaining molds. Drizzle plates with fresh tarragon oil .

LOBSTER & CELERIAC REMOULADE

Steps:

• To prepare the lobster, remove the roe if there is any (if you want to include it in the remoulade, set it aside). Twist off and peel the tail, halve lengthways, slice thickly and set aside. Crack the claws and try to remove the meat whole, setting it aside with the tail. Winkle out the rest of the meat from the knuckles and the legs, and keep separate.
• Pour the lemon juice into a bowl. Finely cut the celeriac into matchsticks, or coarsely grate or spiralize it. Tip it straight into the lemon juice and toss to prevent it browning. Add the mayo, mustard and Tabasco, season and mix well. Now stir in the broken bits of lobster meat, most of the roe (if using) and the chopped dill. Can be done 1 day ahead up to this point - keep in the fridge and remove 1 hr before serving.
• Neatly spoon the celeriac in the middle of two small plates. Arrange the lobster claw on one side and the tail meat on top and scatter with the dill fronds and the rest of the roe. Serve with toast, if you like.

COLESLAW WITH LOBSTER

Steps:

• Cut the cabbage in half, slicing through the core. Cut away and discard the core and any tough or blemished outer leaves. Finely shred enough of the cabbage to make about three cups. Reserve the remainder of the cabbage for future use.
• Coarsely chop the cabbage shreds and put them in a mixing bowl.
• In another mixing bowl blend the mayonnaise with the lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, onions, salt and pepper and stir in the lobster meat. Pour the mixture over the cabbage and toss well.