Fire It Up - Andrew Schloss [138]
INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup unsalted butter
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
Grated zest and juice of ½ lime
3½ to 4 pounds Alaskan king crab legs, thawed in the refrigerator if frozen
10 to 12 fresh lime leaves (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Light a grill for direct medium heat, about 375°F.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime zest and juice.
Using a sharp, heavy knife or kitchen scissors, cut each crab leg in half lengthwise through the shell. If using the lime leaves, tear any large ones in half and tuck the pieces inside the shells under the meat in several places. Brush the meat with some of the ginger-lime butter.
Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Grill the crab legs, meat-side up, directly over the heat just until warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Avoid overcooking, or the meat will dry out.
Remove to a platter and serve with the remaining ginger-lime butter.
CRAWFISH TAIL
Crawfish and Foie Gras Brochettes with Creole Butter
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
In Louisiana, steamed or boiled whole crawfish are as popular as blue crabs in Maryland. When you can’t get them whole, frozen crawfish tails are the next best thing. They come peeled and need only to be thawed and briefly grill-marked. They also benefit from rich accompaniments, and we’ve found that foie gras is just the thing. For this recipe, it’s imperative to use cold, firm grade A foie gras; otherwise, the foie will melt into the fire. The crawfish tails should be at room temperature.
INGREDIENTS:
8 large bamboo or metal skewers
1 pound cold duck foie gras
⅔ cup unsalted butter, melted
4 teaspoons Creole Rub
8 ounces peeled crawfish tails, thawed if frozen, and brought to room temperature
DIRECTIONS:
If you are grilling with bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. Light a grill for direct high heat, about 475°F.
Cut the foie gras into 1-inch cubes and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Combine ¼ cup of the melted butter and 1 teaspoon of the rub in a medium bowl. Add the thawed craw-fish tails, toss to coat, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Combine the remaining melted butter with another 1 teaspoon of the rub and keep warm over low heat.
Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons rub over the cold foie gras cubes and thread the foie gras and crawfish on skewers, alternating between them.
Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Grill the brochettes directly over the heat just until nicely grill-marked, about 30 to 45 seconds.
Remove to plates and serve with the warm Creole butter.
LOBSTER TAIL
Sweet Soy Lobster Tail with Grilled Tropical Fruit
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
You’d be hard pressed to find a simpler and better looking grilled meal than lobster tail. When you split the tails lengthwise, you see both bright red shell and snow white meat. We glaze the meat with a combination of soy sauce, molasses, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, and Chinese five-spice powder. The same sweet mixture tastes fabulous on grilled pineapple, bananas, and mango, which relax alongside the lobster like a Hawaiian sunset.
INGREDIENTS:
4 bamboo or metal skewers
½ golden pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1½-inch wedges
2 bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into eight 1½-inch pieces
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1½-inch cubes
4 rock lobster or large Maine lobster tails (8 to 10 ounces each), thawed if frozen
⅓ cup Sweet Soy Glaze
½ cup butter, melted
4 lime wedges
DIRECTIONS:
If you are grilling with bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. Light a grill for direct medium heat, about 350°F.
Alternately thread the pineapple, banana, and mango pieces on