James Beard's New Fish Cookery - James Beard [136]
DEVILED LOBSTER
4 small lobsters
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 green peppers, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Mustard
Cayenne pepper
2 cups bread crumbs
Butter
Cook the lobsters in salted water. When cool enough to handle, split them and remove the meat. Dice it and mix it with the liver and lobster coral, if there is any.
Melt the butter in a skillet and sauté the vegetables. When they are tender, season them to taste and combine them with half the bread crumbs and the lobster meat. Season highly with salt, pepper, mustard, and cayenne and fill the lobster shells with this mixture. Dot with butter and sprinkle with the rest of the crumbs. Bake in a 400° oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until nicely browned.
BAKED LOBSTER ITALIAN
1 lobster (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Fines herbes (parsley, basil, oregano)
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese
Split the lobster and remove the intestinal tract. Brush with olive oil. Sauté the garlic and herbs for 3 minutes in 3 tablespoons of the butter and mix with the bread crumbs. Spread this paste over the lobster halves, salt and pepper to taste, and dot with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Bake in a 400° oven for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the cheese and run under the broiler to brown.
SAUTÉED LOBSTER WITH CURRY
1/4 pound butter
1/2 cup shredded blanched almonds
2 tablespoons grated onion or shallot
1 pound cooked lobster meat (frozen is excellent), cut into scallops
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the almonds and onion (or shallot). Cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the lobster and toss lightly. Add the parsley and curry and blend in the cream. Let it just come to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve on fried toast rounds.
LOBSTER NORTH AFRICAN
To be authentic this dish should be made with langouste, but it can be prepared with any kind of lobster. This recipe will serve two people.
1 large lobster
2 green peppers, cut in julienne strips
9 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup white wine
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small eggplant, peeled and diced
1 cup cooked rice
Cayenne pepper
Oregano
1/4 cup brandy or whiskey
Cook the lobster in salt water for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until done. When cool enough to handle, remove the tail and cut it in half, cut the body in half and remove the claws. Take the meat from the claws.
Sauté the green peppers in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil until they are soft. Then add the tomato sauce and wine and season with salt and pepper. Let it cook down for several minutes. Add the two sections of the tail and the meat from the claws and let it heat through. Remove from the fire but keep warm.
Sauté the onion in the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil until soft. Add the eggplant. Sauté until it is soft and slightly colored. Mix this with the rice and season well with salt, pepper, cayenne, and oregano. Heap this on the two halves of the body of the lobster and top with the two halves of the lobster tail.
Add the brandy (or whiskey) to the tomato sauce, and cook it down for several minutes. Pour the sauce over the lobster halves and serve with additional rice.
SAUTÉED LOBSTER WITH TOMATOES
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped, seeded tomatoes
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Basil
1 pound lobster meat, cut into scallops
Heat the butter and olive oil and add the tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste and add a touch of basil. Simmer until the tomatoes