Lobster Pot Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
• Combine filling ingredients in a medium bowl; mix well. To shape each potsticker, place 1 teaspoon of filling in center of a potsticker wrapper. Brush edges of wrapper with water; fold wrapper in half, crimping 1 side, to form a semicircle. Pinch edges together to seal. Cover potstickers with a dry towel to prevent drying.
• Place a wide frying pan over medium heat until hot. Add 1 to 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil, swirling to coat sides. Add potstickers, half at a time, seam side up. Cook until bottoms are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water; reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Place potstickers, browned side up, on a serving plate; keep warm. Cook remaining potstickers with remaining oil and water.
• Garnish potstickers with basil. Serve with dipping sauce.

Steps:

• In the bottom of a steamer pot, put 4 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt. In the top portion of the pot, place the onions, fennel, potatoes and garlic. Pour the beer over the vegetables and add the sausage and 5 of the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-high. Cover and steam for 15 minutes.
• Then create layers, first by adding the corn, then the lobsters, followed by the clams and, finally, the remaining thyme sprigs. Cover and cook until the lobsters are bright red, the clams are open and the potatoes are cooked through, another 15 to 25 minutes.
• Drain the liquid from the pot and reserve it in a bowl. Transfer the shellfish, sausage, potatoes, vegetables and corn onto a table covered with newspaper. Enjoy with melted butter, lemon wedges, crusty bread and the reserved broth.

Steps:

• Choose a pot with a tight-fitting lid that is large enough to fit the lobsters comfortably with enough room for the steam to circulate around them. Wrap the lid tightly with a kitchen towel. Place a steamer basket or an upturned colander in the pot, and pour in cold water to a depth of about 2 inches. Cover and bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, put the lobsters on a cutting board. Place the tip of a large, heavy knife at the cross marks on the back of a lobster's head. In one quick motion cut down through the head to the cutting board. Repeat with the remaining lobsters.
• To keep the tails straight and ensure even cooking, slip a thin wooden skewer through the length of the lobster's tails.
• When the water is boiling, quickly add the lobsters to the pot and cover. Steam the lobsters, shaking the pot occasionally, until cooked through, about 8 minutes for 3/4 to 1 pound lobsters, about 10 minutes for 1 to 1 1/4 pound lobsters, and about 11 minutes for 1 1/2 to 2 pound lobsters.
• Remove the lobsters from the pot and, if you are serving them whole, set them aside for several minutes to rest. Using the back of the heavy knife or a mallet crack the claws. Transfer the lobsters to plates and serve with drawn butter and lobster claw crackers.
• To remove all the meat from the lobster: Transfer the lobster to a colander in the sink and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking. Using your hands, twist the claws, knuckles, and tails off of the lobsters. Reserve the bodies for making broth.
• On a work surface, rest the tails on their sides and, using the palm of your hand, press down on them to crack the shells. Holding a tail with both hands, with the belly facing you, break the tail shell back and pop out the meat. Repeat with the remaining tails. If you have female lobsters (the swimmerets at top of the tail are soft and have hair-like wisps protruding from them), you may want to prepare coral butter, (recipe follows) with the roe. The roe are the dark green eggs located in the body and the top of the tail. Carefully cut open the top of the tail and the body and remove the roe.
• Grab the "thumb" of a lobster claw and move it back and forth. Try to wiggle the shell off of the meat while pulling out the internal piece of cartilage, leaving the meat attached to the claw (this is a tricky maneuver, if it doesn't work you should be able to shake the meat out). Place the claw horizontally upright with the curve of the claw facing up. Using the heavy part of the blade of the knife, with a short and swift motion, crack the back end of the claw. Drop the claw to its side and, with the back of the knife, crack the side of the back of the claw. Remove the cracked back end of the claw and wiggle the meat out from the shell. Repeat with the remaining claws.
• Place the knuckles on the work surface and cover with a kitchen towel. Using the back of the knife, crack the knuckles. Using your hands, remove the shell from the knuckles and carefully pick out the meat. You may also use kitchen shears to cut open the knuckles and remove the meat.
• Place the butter in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 1 minute.
• Set the saucepan aside and let the butter settle, undisturbed. The milk solids will come to the top of the butter and the watery whey will collect on the bottom. Skim off the milk solids with a spoon and pour the drawn butter into a serving bowl or several small ramekins, taking care not include the watery liquid in the bottom of the pan. Serve.
• Yield: about 1 cup
• Place the butter in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 1 minute.
• Set the saucepan aside and let the butter settle, undisturbed. The milk solids will come to the top of the butter and the watery whey will collect on the bottom. Skim off the milk solids with a spoon and pour the drawn butter into a small bowl. Wipe out the sauce and return the drawn butter to it.
• Place the roe in a medium bowl and whisk lightly to break it up. Heat the butter over medium heat until just hot. Gradually pour the warmed butter over the roe, while whisking, until the eggs turn bright red. Serve with lobster or other shellfish.
• Yield: about 1 cup

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Fill a large saucepan with lightly salted water and bring it to a boil. Add the lobster meat, reduce the heat to low, and cook 10 minutes until the meat is opaque. Drain and set aside to cool.
• Place 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan and place it over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and add the onion, carrots, and tarragon. Stir to coat, lower the heat, and let cook for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the peas in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• Meanwhile, place the diced potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with water. Add a little salt and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer until the potatoes are fork tender (about 15 minutes). Drain the potatoes and add them to the vegetable mix. Chop the lobster meat and add to the veggie mix as well. Set aside.
• For the bechamel:
• Place the milk in a medium saucepan along with the bay leaves and white pepper and scald (which means heat it but don't let it boil!) Add the lobster base and whisk to incorporate. Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Whisk the flour in and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and whisk until the mixture thickens. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly, until the bechamel is thick and creamy. Remove bay leaves. Add the bechamel to the lobster mixture and stir well.
• For the crust:
• Place the flour in the bowl of a food processor along with the salt. Add the butter bits and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour into a bowl and add the ice water a little at a time, stirring well with a fork. Transfer the dough to a well floured surface and knead just until it all comes together (don't work the dough too much or it'll get tough). Divide the dough in half and flatten each ball into a disk. Wrap each disk in film and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Remove from the refrigerator and roll each disk out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 12 inches in diameter. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the first disk, ladle the lobster mix into the crust and brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash. Top with the second disk. Trim the excess dough and crimp decoratively. Cut vent holes in the dough and brush the top with the egg wash. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the crust is a golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

Steps:

• Add the seafood stock, lobster shells, potatoes, carrots and thyme to a large stockpot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes and carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the lobster shells and thyme sprigs, strain the stock and reserve the vegetables in a separate bowl.
• Add the butter and oil to the stockpot over medium heat. Add the lobster meat and cook until just beginning to turn red and opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove the meat and reserve. Add the celery, onions, salt and a few cracks of black pepper and cook until translucent and softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, cooking for about 3 minutes, and then stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute. Slowly pour in the sherry, whisking to combine. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved lobster stock and bring to a simmer until the liquid has thickened. Add the reserved vegetables and peas. Stir in the cream and lobster meat. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Divide the filling between four 16-ounce ramekins. Beat together the egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Dust the counter and a rolling pin with flour and roll out the puff pastry sheets. Cut 4 rounds big enough to cover the tops of the ramekins. Pierce the centers with a sharp knife to create 2 small slits. Brush the outside of the ramekins with egg wash and then top each with a puff pastry round, pressing gently to seal around the edges. Brush the top with egg wash. Bake until the tops are puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Divide the lobster meat into four shallow 8-ounce ramekins or gratin dishes, or place in a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.
• In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until bubbly, about 1 minute. Add the cream and sherry, bring just to the boil, and cook, whisking, until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Season with the paprika and with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the lobster in the dishes. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
• For the topping, toss the cracker crumbs with the melted butter and paprika until well mixed. (The pies and topping can be made up to several hours ahead to this point and refrigerated.)
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the lobster mixture. Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until the sauce is bubbly and the crumbs are deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes for ramekins, 15 to 20 minutes for a large baking dish.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bring water and crab boil bag to a boil in a large saucepan.
• Stir in lobster tails and boil until they turn bright red and the meat becomes opaque, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Drain and cool lobster tails. Remove shells, and dice lobster meat. Transfer to a bowl.
• Place a pie crust into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan and set aside.
• Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat.
• Cook and stir onion and celery in butter until tender, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Stir flour into onion and celery mixture until vegetables are coated with flour.
• Combine chicken broth and milk in a bowl.
• Slowly stir broth and milk into onion, celery, and flour mixture until thickened.
• Stir seafood seasoning, garlic powder, and ground black pepper into thickened sauce.
• Mix thawed vegetables, diced potato, and cooked lobster meat into the sauce; simmer until potato is tender, about 8 minutes.
• Pour lobster filling into the prepared pie crust.
• Cover with remaining pie crust ,and seal by crimping the edges of the two crusts together.
• Cut an 'X' into top of pie crust with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape during baking.
• Bake pie in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to allow sauce to thicken.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice top off loaf of bread.
• Scoop out inside of bread, leaving a 1" shell.
• Reserve bread and cut into cubes for dipping, wrap in plastic wrap until ready to use.
• Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, worcestershire sauce, tabasco sauce, and garlic with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
• Stir in grated cheddar cheese, green onion, and lobster.
• Add salt and pepper to taste and blend well.
• Fill bread shell with the lobster mixture and place top on bread loaf.
• Wrap completely in tin foil and place on cookie sheet.
• Bake for about 1 hour until thoroughly heated.
• Serve with bread cubes, crackers or fresh veggies for dipping.

Steps:

• Cut lobster shell down the middle, crack it open, and pull out the meat. Cut the shell into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
• Cut the meat into ½-inch pieces, checking carefully and removing any veins or missed pieces of shell. Transfer the meat to a plate and keep in the refrigerator until needed.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add lobster shells and cook, stirring often, until they turn brick red, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in sherry and clam juice and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently to steep lobster shells, 15 to 20 minutes; making sure the liquid does not reduce.
• Remove from the heat and pour broth through a strainer to remove shells.
• Rinse out the saucepan and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Place over medium heat to melt. Add carrots, celery, paprika, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook and stir until tomato paste is toasted and paprika is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in lobster broth and bring to a simmer.
• Add potatoes and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook at a gentle simmer until potatoes are tender and liquid has reduced just slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.
• While the potatoes are cooking, place puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper. Cut out two 3 ½-inch circles and cut an "x" in the center of each one. Brush tops with beaten egg. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator until needed.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Add lemon juice, cream, and tarragon to the potatoes; stir to combine and return to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until reduced and thickened a bit more, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
• Stir in reserved lobster meat and turn off the heat. Remove from the stove and evenly divide the mixture between two 6-ounce ramekins, stopping about ¼ inch from the top.
• With the egg wash facing up, place puff pastry circles onto the ramekins, making sure the vents are cut all the way through.
• Bake in the upper center of the preheated oven until bubbly and browned, about 20 minutes. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.