Lobster for Dinner in February

My husband is from Massachusetts and has made a lobster convert out of me. It's easy to do at home and we do have some good sources for fresh, lively lobster in Chicago. My question is what to serve with it in the winter, when corn on the cob and juicy tomatoes are not an option? My husband's family usually serves lobster with potato chips and pickles, drawn butter and lemons. Beer is the beverage of choice. It would be nice to something just slightly more, well, special every once in while. (But still have it be an easy weeknight dinner.) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I just read an awfully nice recipe for blanquette de homard in Anthony Bourdain's new and quite entertaining Les Halles Cookbook. That or something along similar lines would, I should think, be special and delicious at any time of year.

Antonius

We had lobster last night. I seerved it with asparagus which I sauteed with a little tomato paste, oregano and basil.

stevez wrote:We had lobster last night.

Steve,

Tonight our V-Day table is being graced by Homaro the 5.5-lb lobster. Side are asparagus, baked potato, I was going to make potatoes Anna, but it seemed like overkill, salad and dessert from Vanille.

Pictures to follow, unless the lobster wins.

Enjoy,
Gary

Dirk's Fish Market
2070 N Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL. 60614
773-404-3475

Vanille Patisserie
2229 N Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL. 60614
773-868-4574

Hi,

I hope you will comment how long you choose to steam or boiled Homaro. I know this will be painful, though true, I bought two 4-pound lobsters for $4.99 a pound in New Jersey a few years ago. I will now duck as the frying pan telepathicly crosses the room.

G Wiv wrote: Side are asparagus, baked potato, I was going to make potatoes Anna, but it seemed like overkill, salad and dessert from Vanille.

Pictures to follow, unless the lobster wins.

Potatoes anna are *never* overkill!

GWiv,
Since when has overkill ever entered the vocabulary of Mr. Excess! Getting old, are we?

Study: Lobsters Unlikely to Feel Pain. Guilt free lobster cooking is now available.

RevrendAndy wrote:GWiv,
Since when has overkill ever entered the vocabulary of Mr. Excess! Getting old, are we?

Rev,

I've been trying to think of a pithy response, but, unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, the bottom line is yes. I do wish, however, to point out I am but a few months older than you.

Seriously though, as we use almost a 1/2-lb of clarified butter as a dip for Homero, I simply did not see using another 1/2-lb in the Potatoes Anna. I have a tendency, as you know, to overdo the butter in potatoes Anna.

As an aside, I make my Potatoes Anna slightly non traditional, with a small amount of both grated onion and grated Parmesan cheese between layers, in addition to melted butter, salt and pepper..

Pictures of Homero Homard are forthcoming.

By the way Rev, how was your V-Day dinner? Terrorize any steak?

Enjoy,
Gary

Thanks for the suggestions! We ate boiled lobsters for Valentine's day. (Three total, about 1 and half pound each, dropped in salted boiling water for seven minutes.) I ended up serving Kumamoto oysters as an appetizer, followed by a creamy cauliflower soup seasoned with coriander. It was almost chowder-like and worked very well. Bubbly matched nicely.

HI,

Poking around, I found this link to French Laundry's method for preparing lobster. Has anyone tried this?

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

Poking around, I found this link to French Laundry's method for preparing lobster. Has anyone tried this?

Regards,

Cathy,

Keller's butter poaching method of cooking lobster is fantastic. The end result is the tenderest lobster you've ever had. What you lose with this method is that "broiled" or "steamed" whole lobster experience. When I'm in the mood for lobster, I want the tomalley, the juice within the shell, and everything else, and not just shelled lobster.

His technique is designed a for menu setting, featuring dishes composed with perfectly poached and shelled lobster.