What would you make with lobster, if it wasn't so expensive? (since it isn't right now!)

[Allison L.]

At $6.99/lb in landlocked Texas, I feel the need to take advantage of these crazy low lobster prices. Go ahead new englanders and taunt me with your $3.99/lb at Shaws, but it's the lowest I've ever seen here, and probably will ever see again.

So being that I can afford to do more than just steam them as a main course, what would you do with lobster if you could use it as an ingredient? I can think of lobster cakes (and I'd love a recipe suggestion - how do you think the filler would need to differ from crab cakes?), but not much else comes to mind. It's a whole new world!

[Allison L.]

Kept all the carcasses in the freezer and yesterday I made a delicious lobster stock. I want to use some to make a lobster bisque, but all the recipes for lobster bisque I've come across are the start from scratch (boil the lobster...) type and it's difficult to tell where to start if you already have a rich stock. Do I just make a roux and add the stock? Add cream? Tomato paste? Any advice appreciated.

[Infomaniac]

Lobster Stuffed Eggs....I first had this in Newfoundland several years ago. I make it like I would a deviled egg and just add chopped lobster meat.

[Allison L.]

Lobster stuffed eggs... that sounds soooo good!

[Passadumkeg]

Lobster sauteed in burbon. Smoked lobber meat as a whore doover.

[Passadumkeg]

A traditional Maine dish is lobster cream sauce over scallops.

[everybodyever]

Straight-up lobster rolls! That means: Chunks of lobster meat slicked with a little mayonnaise, a little butter and a little pepper (VERY LITTLE of each) and stuffed into a buttered, toasted hot dog bun, preferably the split-top kind. In coastal Maine these are served all over the place with nothing but a pickle and potato chips. It's seriously the best way to eat lobster -- I find more complex recipes to be gilding the lily, or worse, disguising it.

[mcf]

Butter. Seriously, I never want other distractions. :-)

[andrew.b]

souffle or mac n' cheese

[dagwood]

Lobster & asparagus quiche. Either mini (w/ a creamcheese & butter tart shell), or full size, with a standard quiche crust.

[sbp]

I once made lobster b'stilla spring rolls. Filling was lobster, scrambled egss coarsely chopped, toasted chopped almonds, egg whites lightly whipped, salt, pepper, and a bit of sugar and cinnamon. Used wonton skins for wrapper. After frying and cooling a bit, dusted with powdered sugar.

[chitodc]

Ravioli. We usually get fresh pasta sheets to cheat since I am still intimidated at the idea of pasta from scratch (Trader Joe's has had great ones, as do many Italian specialty stores). Steam or poach the lobster meat and cut it into pieces. Saute some finely minced shallots and garlic in olive oil and let cool. Add the lobster, and stir in just enough ricotta to bind it and make it not too dense. Sauce is just butter, shallot, white wine.

[Passadumkeg]

Or lobster dim sum stuffed wontons; Chinese Ravioli.

[c oliver]

Oh, yikes, those both sound amazing.

[lexpatti]

Here's the one I was talking about - Lobster Pie (simple but fantastic):

The Maine Diner Grandmother's Lobster Pie

5 (1 pound) lobsters
1/2 pound butter
2 tablespoons
lemon juice
3 cups crushed Ritz crackers
Parsley
Lemon wedges

Steam the lobsters in salted water 12-15 minutes, or until done. Let cool. Over a bowl that can hold the juices, pick out the meat from the tails, knuckles and claws. Reserve the tomalleys.

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Stir in the tomalleys and lemon juice. Remove from the heat. Stir in the crushed crackers. Add enough reserved lobster juice so the mixture is moist and thick, somewhat like turkey stuffing.

Divide the lobster meat among 4 individual casseroles. Cover with the cracker mixture, patting it on evenly. Bake at 425 degrees F until the top begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

[the_MU]

Sounds awesome. Sadly, the word has gotten out that we're not supposed to eat tomalley anymore because it can contain traces of red tide. This is completely tragic -- I usually get everyone else to give me theirs, but last time I stopped at only two or three lobsters worth. I thought my lips were tingling a little after that, but it could've been all in my mind.

[shaogo]

Lobster chow mein - or:

Lobster in black bean sauce.

[vafarmwife]

I apologize if this has been mentioned before- Lobster Newburg.

[Full tummy]

Yes, I second that. So deliciously over-the-top rich.

[mexivilla]

The Hyatt in Toronto has a Lobster Club Sandwich on its lunch menu that is great.

[Eliza524]

The butter poached lobster made into a mousseline and stuffed into fresh pasta sheets floating in lobster stock. Yum.

[Passadumkeg]

Sorry, I've been "away" for a bit. Lobster quiche, strudel, crep, fajitas, quesadillas, stew, chowder, w/ pesto and other pasta sauces, cut in half, rub w/ garlic and olive oil and toss on grill and serve over pasta w/ olive oil and more garlic, mac & cheese.... We save the body and leg meat for omelets and after a big lobster bake, will sit around the next day w/ a bottle of white wine and all the saved bodies & legs and pic, drink and have a big salad. The most unusual one I know, that we use occasionally was a state winner 20 years ago. Frie up sweet pepprs and onion w/ a copious amount of olive oil. Boil the lobbers w/ pasta and dee dum..... a box of unsweetened lemon or lime Jello! When done cookin', pull ou the bugs and drain the pasta and rinse. Top pasta w/ pepper and onions ect., etc. The lemon/lime flavor is surprisingly subtle.
Here's a link that has a lot of recipes:
http://www.lobsterfrommaine.com/press...
Psst, we've been getting lobsters for free or at two bucks a pound. But we ain't got no tacos al pastor or good Q brisket!

[Veggo]

Welcome back from what I'm sure was a well-deserved vacation. My brother has been buying 5 pounders in Burlington VT for $4/lb, and I told him C'hound has an in-house lobster expert in Maine, and he wants to know if you have a lobster thermidor recipe that is not overly fancy, for a 5 pounder. Thanks.

[MMRuth]

I don't know very much about lobster, other than that I love it. How is the meat in a 5 pounder? I thought that I'd read somewhere that, the heavier the lobster, the less tender the meat is? When we were in Kennbunkport a couple of weeks ago we boiled some lobsters that had soft shells - have to say they were easier to deal with.

[sbp]

When John's Farms has the bigguns at $5/lb, I've been getting them. Never had an issue with toughness. I think the myth developed because some folks overcook the larger ones, assuming it will take so much longer.

[MMRuth]

That makes sense, thanks. When we both the lobsters recently, we cut back quite a bit on the time they told us to cook them, and were thankful that we did.

[sbp]

The only caveat is with a female lobster, sometimes the meat will be done, but the roe will still be black and slimy. Rather than overcook the meat, I just pull out the roe and microwave it on low power for a minute or two.

[Passadumkeg]

Sorry Veg, have never made thermidor; I haven't eaten it since the sixties! The above site that I posted has 582 lobster recipes!
The Kegster

[coll]

Ok then I feel free to throw in my Lobster Thermidor recipe, when I first got married in the 70s it was the only way I knew to make lobster! Haven't made it in a long long time..

Cook a 2 lb lobster.Cut the body shell down the middle, Remove all meat from body, claws etc. and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Clean and rub body with oil until shiny.

Then you need:
1/4 cup butter
small onion or shallots, finely chopped
1/4 cup flour
5/8 cup milk
1/4 cup grated white Cheddar or gruyere
1 1/4 Tbsp dry white wine
pinch paprika
salt and pepper
grated Parmesan

Heat half the butter in skillet and saute lobster gently. In a small pot, heat the remaining butter.Add onion/shallot and saute til soft. Stir in flour and cook over low heat for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the milk. Cook over medium, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Simmer gently for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese, wine and paprika. Season. Cook over low heat, stirring, for about 1 minute. Pour the cheese sauce over the hot lobster in the skillet. Cook over low heat for a few minutes. Remove from heat. Place the clean lobster shells on a broiler rack and fill them with the lobster mixture. Sprinkle heavily with Parmesan cheese. Broil about 4 inches from flame until sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Sorry if it sounds a little old fashioned, I'm sure it's made fancier now, but back then this was very sophisticated for me.

[JoanN]

James Peterson, in "Fish and Shellfish," has an updated lobster thermidor that's quite wonderful. His recipe calls for four 1-1/4 pounders, so the timing would have to be adjusted and you may want to chop up the claw meat at the end. He says you can use heavy cream instead of creme fraiche (I've only tried it with the creme fraiche), but that the cream is runnier and harder to keep in the lobster.

4 1-1/4 pounders
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Split the lobsters lengthwise, clean them, and remove the claws. Put the claws in a preheated 400F oven and bake for 8 minutes. Add the bodies, flesh side up, and try to get them to lie flat so none of the juices run out. Prop them up with crumbled aluminum foil if necessary. Whisk the cream together with the mustard and spoon half to 3/4 of it over the tails. Bake the tails for 7 minutes. Remove the claws (which should have been baking for about 15 minutes) from the oven and remove the meat. Remove the bodies and spoon on the rest of the mustard/cream mixture. Place the bodies about 2 inches from the heat of a preheated broiler and broil about 1 minute, until the sauce begins to brown. Arrange claw meat on top an serve.

[NVJims]

Lobster tacos.....MMMMMMMMM!

[Indirect Heat]

That sounds crazy good. And with how cheap lobsters are now...

[Joebob]

I eat lobster as offen as I can, but Julia Child's Lobster Souffle beats any other preparation I've ever had.

[shaogo]

My all time favorite treatment for lobster:

Steam the lobster and remove the meat. Reserve shells/bodies for stock. Chop very coarsely; chill the meat.

Whip a cup of heavy cream - do not use sugar (substitute a pinch of salt).

Fold 2 tablespoons of good dijon mustard (I *don't* use whole grain) into the whipped cream, making sure to keep as much air in the cream as possible while still thoroughly incorporating the mustard. A little tarragon and some cracked black pepper can be added.

Fold the lobster into the fluffy dijon cream. Serve on toast points topped with a little caviar - when I'm being cheap I just use the Romanoff in a jar from the supermarket.

[c oliver]

Oh my lord, that sounds wonderful. Incredible. Wow :)

[sbp]

I agree with others that just plain steamed lobster is amazing, but with the price so low now, it's nice to be able to try expanding your horizons.

Since it often has a lot of natural sweetness, lobster meat goes great with Thai curry (with coconut milk). You can add a touch of vanilla too. Serve with Mango (which also pairs great with lobster).

[jeniyo]

a rather odd question: what about lobster sahimi? i had them in restaurants and it is sweet and devine-

but are the lobster we get (life) okay to eat raw? or does it have to be via a special source?

[coll]

I've had lobster ceviche in restaurants, which is raw but not raw. Very good.

[jeniyo]

make brioche, make lobster rolls
make crepes
make fresh pasta, poach in butter
stirfry in ginger, garlic, hoisin, scallions, wine chili oil in super hot wok.
make it into a salad and fill in goureges

do you think i can freeze the extra bodies and wait until the weekends are cool enough for bisque? what about saving the lobster tails? can i save until holiday parties.

[hotoynoodle]

i know restaurants serve frozen lobster tail, but it's just a travesty. and the texture is just horrible when you're used to fresh.

yes, yes, yes, freeze and save the heads, shells and bodies.

[lexpatti]

Or a nice Lobster Mac n Cheese, since the poster is looking for lobster to be an ingredient and NOT steam them.

[Full tummy]

I suppose they would have to be steamed or boiled before-hand.

[goodhealthgourmet]

or lobster mashed potatoes.

[Procrastibaker]

OK, I am a lobster snob. One of those "I spend summers in Maine and only eat lobsters then, when I can see them go to their steamy deaths at our local pound." Insufferable, I know. But truly, why do anything other than steam them? Lobster has such a delicate taste other preparations, IMO, ruin it. I'd get 1 1/4" lobsters, steam them and serve with drawn butter with a slug of sherry, oven fries and a salad. You could steam extra and save the shells to make into a bisque the next day. I like lobster rolls, too, but if you've got a limited quantity steamed is the way to go.

[Full tummy]

Definitely save the shells!!! So much flavour there. Great as a base for a bisque or fish soup/stew.

I would steam them, remove the meat and toss with some warm butter and cream. Serve atop pasta. You can garnish with tarragon, if you wish. And/or sautéed mushrooms.

[HillJ]

lobster eggs benedict
skewered lobster grilled with veggies
lobster cocktails with spicy cocktail sauce
lobster ravioli with crisp sage

Good for you Allison L. Such food pleasures should be savored! I'm off to the fish monger, yum lobsters!

[JungMann]

There are small lobsters on sale in NYC for 4.99/lb so I'm thinking about highlighting what little meat there is in a garlic-scallion stir fry or perhaps a very Hong Kong roasted lobster with cheese.

[hotoynoodle]

butter poached is killer, but we have just been gorging on them steamed with drawn butter all summer. the flavor is so sweet and briny i hate covering it up.

save the bodies and heads to make lobster bisque.

you could use it in risotto or paella, stew, pot pie or a gratin. over pasta with a tomato basil butter sauce.

[lexpatti]

Lobster Pie is my fav. There are several versions out there but simply and fantastic is ritz crackers, butter, lobster. I've been wanting to do a tower lobster pie. I recently did a lobster/crab tower salad tthat was great, see pic - it's in my profile

[Allison L.]

I didn't see the picture, but I was intrigued by Lobster Pie so I googled it. There are so many styles. I think I want to try it. I'm going to go pretty plain like you, but with the addition of shallots and a little sherry. Wish me luck! I hope to try some more of these ideas while the prices stay low.

[coll]

I love making Lobster Pie, but I make it in a pie shell like pot pie. Definitely sherry and shallots.

[MMRuth]

I keep wanting to make a lobster pot pie, but so far I've only made chicken ones.

[coll]

I just started making chicken pot pies last year, so easy! The lobster (or clam or oyster) pies are not much different, and such a nice treat.

[lexpatti]

How did it come out? Check out this topic, my pic of the lobster/crab salad tower is in this:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6533...

[Allison L.]

It came out pretty good but I think I cooked it too long in the oven hoping for the crackers to crisp up under all that butter. I would definitely do it again, just put the pies under the broiler instead. Even slightly overcooked, it was real comfort food. I do wish I would have seen your pic before though, because that tower looks amazing!

[lexpatti]

I've lately been into towers, go to my profile and you can click on my pics - best is the shephard's pie. :-)

[coll]

Make lobster rolls, or just plain old lobster salad. That's my favorite way to prepare lobster.

[coll]

I forgot, if cooking for a crowd, I like Lobster Fra Diablo.

[LisaPA]

Even though it's cheap, if you want to stretch it a bit or change up the taste, I've had a very good lobster/shrimp roll at a local restaurant. On a hot dog bun of course.

[Indirect Heat]

Butter-poached lobster (http://indirectheat.blogspot.com/2009...) served with duck-fat fried greens and steamed rice. Simple dinner, and delicious.

We also are enjoying the current cheap lobster.