Creamed Lobster!
Lets start off this with a disclaimer...there are as many varieties of this dish as there are families around here. Every kitchen has their own tweak and every cook in the family does it a little differently. Creamed lobster can be considered the Official Dish o'Sou'west Nova Scotia.
This is my version.
First and foremost...light candles. This stinks. If you don't like lobster really dig deep in your soul and wonder why you are doing this in the first place. Put on your fancy shmancy apron...all cooking feels better when you don your apron. (plus who wants this smelly splatter on your clothes?)
Haul out a frying pan...I enjoy using my cast iron one as much as possible. I have it in my mind that the iron that leeches out evens out the 'unhealthy' qualities of this dish. ;) PS if you think this is a low fat meal you might as well hit the red "X" in the corner of the screen now.
*not my pic, I scoffed it from a google image from http://www.cookingnook.com/easy-creamed-lobster-dinner.html
Melt a big gob of butter in the pan. (real butter don't use margarine or Becel...that's another story) Take your bowl of lobby out of the fridge and chop of your lobby bits into bite sizes pieces and drop into the pan. Fry up the lobster in butter for about 10 mins. Stirring occasionally. *I use approx. 1/2 cup of butter but it depends on the amount of lobby and I possibly use more then some people. At this point grab a glass, add ice cubes, vodka and oj and take a swig.*This is about where peoples recipes branch out to their own. Mind you, some people cook onions (green or fine chopped white) with their lobster pieces.
Remember this is MY version...and I will tell you some other ways as well.
From this point your butter should almost be soaked into the meat and brightened up some. Add a pint of cream (coffee or whipped, remember the more fat in the cream the faster it thickens...I use whipped) to the pan and give it a good stir around the pan. Add about a quarter cup of vinegar. Allow the cream to come to a boil for about 10 more minutes...until it is the consistency of an "Alfredo Sauce". The longer you boil, the thicker it gets. Pick up your glass and make a counter clockwise movement with the remaining vodka drink...to get it all evenly dispersed and cooled with ice...take a swig.
Ehhh Voilaa.
Serve over toast, mashed potatoes or what have you. Make it thick and add on top of french fries to make lobster poutine, pour over poached eggs on English muffins for a version of Lobster eggs Benny (not a Benny sauce though lol)...serve over egg noodles. I don't care how you serve it as long as I don't have to eat it. Finish vodka drink and possible pour another one...its all up to you like I said, everyone does it differently.
My way I serve to my family from away differs a lot from most. I add crushed garlic to the butter and lobster, add parsley...because parsley is the mascara of the food world. I also served it over garlic toast. Mind you, they have never ate it creamed before so they have no idea whats right or wrong.
Some variations:
What G is used to is only cooking the cream until it is just boiled, not thick over buttered regular toast. Some people add a squirt of ketchup to the cream...some add cheese whiz...G said if I ever do the cheese whiz again he may have a stroke. Some use wine instead of vinegar...some just use plain butter and cream...that's it.
Like I said every family makes it differently...serves it differently...and thinks their way is the only way.
This dish is very, very rich, especially when it is thicker. You wont find it on Jenny Craig's list of what to eat tonight people!
Get a group of Cape Islander cooks in a room and ask them the "right" way to cook this and duck, you have a better chance of nailing jello to a wall then getting these people to agree...but it is fun to sit back and watch them go at 'er.
There ya go...pretty much the basics of creamed lobster...now ya know and knowing is half the battle.
Now pat yourself on the back, pour another drink and let the people who ate this fine dish do the clean up for you. It's only fair.
Oh...want my easy, never fail recipe for Alfredo Sauce?
Frying pan, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of garlic butter (pre-made or make your own), melt it and add heavy cream (half pint to a pint)....boil it till thick....tahhh dahhhhhh. Seriously...that's how I was taught in a restaurant I cooked at...easy. Ohh and to be all fancy add freshly grated parm. cheese and pepper. Toss with cooked noodles and then serve. Making sure you sprinkle some flour on your face (a throwback to that old 80's rice krispie square commercial). Your welcome hahahahah
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