Tarragon Lobster Crostini Recipes

HOT LOBSTER ROLL WITH LEMON-TARRAGON BUTTER

Steps:

• To par-cook the lobsters: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lobsters and cook about 7 minutes; they will be about three-quarters done. Drain well and let cool. Cut in half lengthwise.
• Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high for direct grilling. Brush the cut-side of the lobsters with some oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, cut-side down, until slightly charred. Flip and continue grilling until lightly charred and heated through. Remove the lobsters from the grill and let cool slightly.
• Brush the insides of the hot dog buns with some oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until just toasty.
• Remove the tail and claw meat from the lobsters. You can cut them, but just enough to give you about 2 very large pieces per bun. Drop them into the Lemon-Tarragon Clarified Butter and give them a good soaking. Spoon the lobster into the toasted buns and serve immediately.
• Melt the butter slowly in a medium saucepan over low heat. Let it sit for a bit to separate. Skim off the foam that rises to the top, and gently pour into a bowl, leaving behind the milk solids, which have settled to the bottom of the pan.
• Put the clarified butter in a large saute pan over low heat. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and tarragon, and season with salt, pepper and cayenne if desired.

LOBSTER ROLLS

Steps:

• Stir together lobster and mayonnaise. Stir in chives and tarragon (if desired), and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, covered, while preparing rolls, or up to 2 hours.
• Heat a large heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat until hot. Lightly brush outside of buns with butter; transfer to skillet. Cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.
• Spoon about 1/2 cup lobster mixture into each bun. Serve immediately.

TARRAGON LOBSTER ROLL

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add lobsters head first to water and cook, covered, until shells are bright red and an antennae or leg pulls off easily, 8 to 10 minutes. Crack one open where the tail meets the body of the lobster. The flesh should be firm, white, and opaque. If it is still translucent, then the lobster needs more time to finish cooking. Drain lobsters head down in a colander to release excess liquid.
• When cool enough to handle, crack lobster shells and remove meat from tails, claws, and knuckles. Tear the meat by hand into 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon, celery, tarragon, cayenne, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour over lobster meat and gently stir until lobster is well coated. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more mayonnaise if desired. Chill lobster mixture for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Spread cut sides of buns with butter. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and toast buns, buttered side down, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per bun. Fill each bun with lobster mixture and sprinkle with an extra dash cayenne, if desired. Serve immediately.

TARRAGON LOBSTER SALAD

Steps:

• Plunge 2 live lobsters headfirst into an 8-quart pot of boiling salted water. Loosely cover pot and cook lobsters over moderately high heat 9 minutes from time they enter water, then transfer with tongs to sink to cool.
• Return water to a boil and cook remaining 2 lobsters in same manner.
• While lobsters are cooking, combine shallot, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• When lobsters are cool, remove meat from claws, joints, and tails. Discard tomalley, any roe, and shells (or save for another use). Cut meat into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Whisk mayonnaise, tarragon, and 1/4teaspoon black pepper into shallot mixture. Add lobster meat and toss gently to coat.

BOILED LOBSTERS WITH TARRAGON BUTTER

Steps:

• Fill a 6-quart pot three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil. Plunge lobsters headfirst into water and boil, covered, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer lobsters with tongs to a colander and drain head down to remove excess liquid.
• Finely chop shallot. In a small saucepan melt butter with shallot, tarragon, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Arrange lobsters on a platter and using kitchen shears remove thin, hard membrane from underside of each tail by cutting just inside outer edge of shell.
• Spoon some tarragon butter over each lobster tail and serve remainder on the side.

BAKED LOBSTERS WITH TARRAGON-CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
• Remove and discard the rubber or wood claw holders from lobsters.
• Bring the water to a vigorous boil in a large kettle and drop the lobsters into it. When the water returns to the boil cook the lobsters for exactly 2 minutes and drain. Arrange the lobsters shell side up in one layer in a baking pan. Place in the oven and bake exactly 12 minutes.
• Break off the lobsters' claws. Crack the claws in several places. Place the lobster carcasses shell side down on a flat surface and crack each lengthwise to cut them in half. Pull away and discard the tough sac at the beak end of each lobster. Scoop out the soft mass (the tomalley, coral, liver and so on) from the inside of each lobster. Spoon and scrape this into a saucepan. Save any juices and add these to the saucepan.
• Add the shallots to the saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring.
• Arrange the lobster halves shell side down in one layer on a baking pan. Pull and discard the upper half of each claw shell. Add the remaining claws to the baking pan.
• Add the cream to the mixture in the saucepan. Add salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Add the lemon juice. Cook about 2 minutes.
• Line a saucepan with a sieve and pour the mixture into the sieve. Rub with a rubber spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. There should be about 1 cup. Discard the solids.
• Put the sauce on the stove and bring to the simmer. Swirl in the butter and tarragon.
• Spoon the sauce over the cut portions of each lobster and serve.

GRILLED LEMON-TARRAGON LOBSTER

Steps:

• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Stir butter lemon juice and lemon peel in heavy small saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Mix in chives and tarragon; season with salt and pepper. Set pan at edge of grill to keep sauce warm.
• Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to boil. Drop lobsters headfirst into water. Cover pot; boil lobsters 2 minutes. Transfer lobsters to work surface. Using heavy large knife or cleaver, split lobsters in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard gray intestinal tract, gills and sand sac from head. Leave any red roe or green tomalley intact if desired. Crack claws. Brush cut side of lobsters with 1 tablespoon butter sauce.
• Grill lobsters, cut side down, 4 minutes. Turn again so that cut side is down and grill until lobster meat is just opaque but still juicy, about 2 minutes. Transfer lobsters to plates. Brush lightly with sauce. Serve, passing any remaining sauce seperately.

LOBSTER CROSTINI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lobster, and boil for 5 to 6 minutes, until bright red. Remove the lobster, extract the tail and claw meat from the shell, and dice it. Set aside.
• Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally, and squeeze the juice and seeds into a heavy 1-quart saucepan over low heat. Add the butter, whisking constantly, until it is warm and emulsifies with the tomato juice. Add the lobster meat to the saucepan, and set aside.
• Lightly toast the bread. Spoon some the lobster meat onto each piece, and slowly spoon on the butter mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprig of basil.
• Serve at once. Provide knives and forks because the crostini make for messy eating.