Sautéed Lobster With Potatoes Tomatoes And Basil Recipes

BUTTER-POACHED LOBSTER WITH LEEKS, POMMES MAXIM AND RED-BEET ESSENCE

Steps:

• Place 2 tablespoons water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, and whisk in butter piece by piece. Continue adding until all butter is emulsified. Set aside, and keep warm (the best way is in a thermos); do not allow to boil.
• Bring a 3-quart pot of water seasoned with 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Have a large bowl of ice water ready. Add leeks to boiling water, cook 5 minutes until just tender, drain in a sieve and place sieve with leeks in ice water until leeks are cool. Drain, and transfer to a small sauté pan. Place over low heat to reheat. Add tomato, chives, diced carrot, turnip and leek greens. Stir in 1/3 cup emulsified butter. Season with salt and pepper, and cover to keep warm.
• Place beet essence in a small saucepan. Whisk in 3 tablespoons emulsified butter, and cover to keep warm.
• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place lobster pieces in single layer in a large saucepan or sauté pan. Add remaining emulsified butter. Lobster meat should be just about covered. Place pan over low heat, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, until meat is just heated through. Remove knuckle pieces, drain and fold into leek mixture.
• While lobster cooks, place potatoes in oven 2 to 3 minutes to reheat.
• To serve, place a spoonful of warm beet essence in center of each of 6 plates. Briefly reheat leek mixture, and spoon onto beet essence. Remove lobster tails and claws from butter mixture, draining well; place a tail piece and a claw on each plate, on top of leeks. Break potatoes in six pieces and place on top of the lobster. Serve.

LOBSTER PASTA WITH YELLOW TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• If using whole lobsters, cook them in abundant boiling water for 6 minutes. Cool, remove meat from tail, claws and knuckles, and chop into 1/2-inch chunks.
• Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook pasta.
• Meanwhile, pour olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook for 1 minute, without browning. Add garlic and red pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and season generously with salt and pepper. Add lobster meat, stir to coat, cook 1 minute, then turn off heat until pasta is ready.
• When pasta is al dente, drain, add to skillet, and season with salt and pepper. Toss well and transfer to a warmed wide bowl or platter. Add basil, toss once more and serve immediately.

LOBSTER SALAD WITH GREEN BEANS, TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• In a large pot or in batches, so as not to crowd them, steam or boil the lobsters in seawater or heavily salted water. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns and allspice berries, if you wish. Depending on their size, cook the lobsters for 13 to 15 minutes. (Ask your fishmonger for recommended cooking time.) Let lobsters cool to room temperature on rimmed baking sheets.
• Using lobster crackers, kitchen shears or a mallet, crack shells and remove meat. Place the claw meat and knuckle meat in a container. Slice tail meat 1/2-inch thick and add to the container. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the vinaigrette: Add garlic, mustard, vinegar, olive oil, parsley and basil leaves to a blender jar or food processor. Whiz until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Put cherry tomatoes in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper and add 3 tablespoons vinaigrette. Toss to combine. To another small bowl, add green beans and 3 tablespoons vinaigrette. Toss to combine.
• Arrange lobster meat in the center of a platter or divide among individual plates. Surround with tomato slices, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon cherry tomatoes over the tomato slices. Scatter green beans artfully. Tuck eggs and potatoes here and there (or serve potatoes separately). Finish with arugula or salad leaves.
• Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over everything. Garnish with the prettiest basil leaves. Serve aioli on the side, if using.

GRILLED LOBSTER AND POTATOES WITH BASIL VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Plunge lobsters headfirst into a 12-quart pot of boiling salted water . Cook, covered, over high heat 4 minutes (for 1 1/4-lb lobster) to 5 minutes (for 1 1/2-lb lobster) from time they enter water. Transfer with tongs to a large colander to drain and cool. (Lobsters will not be fully cooked.) Return cooking water to a boil.
• Add potatoes to boiling water and simmer, uncovered, until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain in a colander.
• When lobsters are cool enough to handle, twist off claws (including knuckles) and crack with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Halve lobsters lengthwise using a large heavy knife. Reserve green tomalley and any orange roe from bodies for another use if desired.
• Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderately high heat for gas).
• While grill heats, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, red-pepper flakes, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until well blended, then stir in basil.
• Halve potatoes. Oil grill rack, then grill potatoes, cut sides down, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over once, until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette. Keep potatoes warm, covered.
• Oil grill rack, then grill 4 lobster halves, cut sides down, and all of claws, covered only if using a gas grill, until grill marks appear on meat, about 4 minutes. Turn over bodies and claws and grill in same manner 4 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with 1/4 cup vinaigrette, then keep warm, covered. Grill remaining lobster halves in same manner and add to same bowl, tossing to coat.
• Arrange arugula on a large platter and top with grilled lobster and potatoes. Drizzle with 1/2 cup vinaigrette and serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.

POACHED LOBSTERS WITH BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring enough water to a boil to cover the lobsters when they are added. Put in lobsters and let water return to boil. Cook 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, trim off ends of zucchini and steam or boil. To steam, place zucchini in top of a steamer rack and put rack over the steamer bottom containing boiling water. To boil, bring enough water to a boil to cover zucchini when added. Add the zucchini. Steam or boil the zucchini 4 minutes or until tender but still crisp. Drain.
• In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan and add shallots. Cook until wilted. Add wine and basil. Bring to boil and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated. Add cream and bring to boil. Cook about 30 seconds. Swirl in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, salt and cayenne.
• Line a small saucepan with a sieve and pour the sauce into it. Press as much liquid as possible from the solids. Serve hot.
• Drain lobsters. It is best to remove meat from shells. It is easier, however, to split lobsters in half lengthwise and spoon small amounts of sauce on top. Serve zucchini cut into thin slices with melted butter brushed on top.

SAUTéED LOBSTER WITH POTATOES, TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put the oil in a wide skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the potatoes and sprinkling of salt and pepper and proceed to brown them on all sides, slowly and carefully, adjusting the heat as necessary.
• Meanwhile, boil the lobsters for 2 minutes, then plunge them (reserve the water) into an ice-water bath. Break off the claws and remove the meat from them; break off the tails and cut each into three or four sections, leaving the shell on. Take all remaining parts of the lobster, return them to the boiling water, and simmer, covered, for about an hour.
• Add the butter to the (hopefully now nearly perfectly browned) potatoes. Raise the heat to fairly high, add the lobster pieces as well, and brown lightly, turning once or twice. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring once or twice, to heat through. Stir in the basil leaves, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.