Cold Lobster With Basil Vinaigrette Recipes

Steps:

• To cook lobsters, pour about 2 inches of water in the bottom of a large kettle or steamer. Add salt, peppercorns, red-pepper flakes, bay leaf and thyme. Bring water to a boil. Place lobsters in kettle and cover tightly. Return to a boil and cook over high heat for about 12 minutes. Remove lobsters and let them cool.
• To make mayonnaise, combine egg yolk, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix well with a wire whisk.
• Add oil in a thin stream while beating vigorously with a wire whisk. When mixture is thick and smooth, stir in remaining ingredients and blend well. Cover until ready to serve.
• Before serving, split lobsters in half lengthwise and crack claws. Remove and discard small sacs near the eyes. Remove intestines through the middle of the tail. Serve at room temperature with mayonnaise.

Steps:

• Boil a very large pot of water. Salt it and add the lobsters head first. Put the lid on the pot and boil until bright red and cooked, about 12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.
• While the lobster is cooking, peel the grapefruits to the quick, cutting first the top and bottom off, then cutting the skin off around them, removing all the pith. Cut the grapefruit sections with a knife into a large bowl to catch the juice, and squeeze the remaining juice out of the membrane into the bowl as well.
• To remove the lobster meat, twist off the claws. Use the back of a chef's knife to crack both sides of the claws. Pull off the shell and reserve the meat. Use a pick to pull the meat out of the tube-like limbs attached to the claws. Now, twist the tails off the bodies. Lay them flat on their side and press down to crack the center. Pull out the meat. Discard the bodies and shells, or use them to make lobster bisque.
• Chop the lobster meat into large chunks for the salad and add it to the grapefruit. Cut the avocado and add it to the bowl, along with a generous squeeze of lemon to keep its color. Chop the green onions, including the green parts, and add along with the parsley leaves. Add the oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Toss. Taste, adjusting the seasonings (and adding a little lemon zest if you like) and serve.

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot about half full of water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. When the water has come to a rolling boil, plunge the lobsters headfirst into the pot. Clamp the lid back on tightly and return the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the lobsters for 12 to 18 minutes (hard-shell lobsters will take the longer time), until the shells turn bright red and the tail meat is firm and opaque when checked.
• Lift the lobsters out of the water with tongs and drain in a colander. Place underside up on a work surface and, grasping firmly, split the tails lengthwise with a large knife. Drain off the excess liquid. Serve with melted butter and lemon wedges.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Plunge the lobsters into the water (one or two at a time if necessary) and cook just until they turn red, about 2 minutes. Remove them and plunge into an ice-water bath to stop the cooking. (You can do this several hours in advance and refrigerate the lobsters until you're ready to proceed.) Split the tails down the middle of their soft undersides so they will lie flat.
• Preheat broiler, and adjust the rack so there will be about 3 inches between the lobsters and the heating element. Broil the lobsters until they are hot and their shells just begin to char, about 10 minutes. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature or cold, with the vinaigrette.

Steps:

• Plunge lobsters headfirst into a 12-quart pot of boiling salted water . Cook, covered, over high heat 4 minutes (for 1 1/4-lb lobster) to 5 minutes (for 1 1/2-lb lobster) from time they enter water. Transfer with tongs to a large colander to drain and cool. (Lobsters will not be fully cooked.) Return cooking water to a boil.
• Add potatoes to boiling water and simmer, uncovered, until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain in a colander.
• When lobsters are cool enough to handle, twist off claws (including knuckles) and crack with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Halve lobsters lengthwise using a large heavy knife. Reserve green tomalley and any orange roe from bodies for another use if desired.
• Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderately high heat for gas).
• While grill heats, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, red-pepper flakes, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until well blended, then stir in basil.
• Halve potatoes. Oil grill rack, then grill potatoes, cut sides down, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over once, until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette. Keep potatoes warm, covered.
• Oil grill rack, then grill 4 lobster halves, cut sides down, and all of claws, covered only if using a gas grill, until grill marks appear on meat, about 4 minutes. Turn over bodies and claws and grill in same manner 4 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with 1/4 cup vinaigrette, then keep warm, covered. Grill remaining lobster halves in same manner and add to same bowl, tossing to coat.
• Arrange arugula on a large platter and top with grilled lobster and potatoes. Drizzle with 1/2 cup vinaigrette and serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Plunge lobsters into water headfirst, and simmer, covered, for 11 minutes. (Do not let water boil.) Transfer lobsters to ice-water bath using tongs. Let stand for 10 minutes to cool.
• Meanwhile, whisk together oil, zests and juices, mustard, shallot, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Crack lobster claws, knuckles, and tails, and remove meat. Slice tail meat 1/2 inch thick, and leave claws and knuckles whole.
• Combine lobster, greens, tomato, and tarragon. Drizzle with dressing, and toss to coat. Garnish with tarragon. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• In a large pot or in batches, so as not to crowd them, steam or boil the lobsters in seawater or heavily salted water. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns and allspice berries, if you wish. Depending on their size, cook the lobsters for 13 to 15 minutes. (Ask your fishmonger for recommended cooking time.) Let lobsters cool to room temperature on rimmed baking sheets.
• Using lobster crackers, kitchen shears or a mallet, crack shells and remove meat. Place the claw meat and knuckle meat in a container. Slice tail meat 1/2-inch thick and add to the container. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the vinaigrette: Add garlic, mustard, vinegar, olive oil, parsley and basil leaves to a blender jar or food processor. Whiz until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Put cherry tomatoes in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper and add 3 tablespoons vinaigrette. Toss to combine. To another small bowl, add green beans and 3 tablespoons vinaigrette. Toss to combine.
• Arrange lobster meat in the center of a platter or divide among individual plates. Surround with tomato slices, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon cherry tomatoes over the tomato slices. Scatter green beans artfully. Tuck eggs and potatoes here and there (or serve potatoes separately). Finish with arugula or salad leaves.
• Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over everything. Garnish with the prettiest basil leaves. Serve aioli on the side, if using.