Puerto Nuevo meets Provence
This is a simple recipe that is a modification of the Puerto Nuevo style lobster from Baja Norte. The sauce is not overpowering and gets into the meat yielding a light and almost fluffy texture, even with big bugs. This is about right for 4 - 6 average size lobsters.
In a heavy saucepan melt 1/2 pound butter. Add 1 cup Chardonnay wine and allow to simmer slowly while adding the remaining ingredients.
A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce (Tapatio, Cholula, etc). This is more to add flavor than heat.
Between 1/8 tsp to 1/4 tsp of the following:
white pepper
Black pepper
Marjoram
sweet basil
and a few sprinkles of Paprika for color
Wisk the sauce occasionally as it simmers to help blend the flavors.
Split your live lobsters down the middle and break off the antennae back to the antennae buds. After much experimentation, I have found that a heavy, sharp serrated bread knife works better than a chef's knife or cleaver for this task. Place the lobster on its belly with legs spread to the side, and very firmly saw through starting at the horns and working back to the tail. This is messy as hell, so put lots of newspaper on the counter and put your cutting board on top of that. The womenfolk should be asked to go pick up another six-pack from the corner store while you do this or they will get all sappy and not want to eat poor little Larry the lobster. It may take a few passes to get the bug into his port and starboard halves, but hang in there. This is when I pull out the intestinal tract and all other brown, green, squishy organs and parts and rinse a bit under running water in the sink.
OK, now arrange the halves shell-side down on a platter and mop them with the sauce until they won't take any more. The halves now go shell-side down on the grill at about an 8 out of a possible ten heat setting for gas or if using charcoal, that nice little dancing flame glow. When the meat gets opaque and a bit firm, flip the halves just long enough to get some grill marks on them. Flip them back over, douse with some more sauce, don't overcook, remove to platter. Serve with remaining sauce on the side.
This is a simple recipe that is a modification of the Puerto Nuevo style lobster from Baja Norte. The sauce is not overpowering and gets into the meat yielding a light and almost fluffy texture, even with big bugs. This is about right for 4 - 6 average size lobsters.
In a heavy saucepan melt 1/2 pound butter. Add 1 cup Chardonnay wine and allow to simmer slowly while adding the remaining ingredients.
A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce (Tapatio, Cholula, etc). This is more to add flavor than heat.
Between 1/8 tsp to 1/4 tsp of the following:
white pepper
Black pepper
Marjoram
sweet basil
and a few sprinkles of Paprika for color
Wisk the sauce occasionally as it simmers to help blend the flavors.
Split your live lobsters down the middle and break off the antennae back to the antennae buds. After much experimentation, I have found that a heavy, sharp serrated bread knife works better than a chef's knife or cleaver for this task. Place the lobster on its belly with legs spread to the side, and very firmly saw through starting at the horns and working back to the tail. This is messy as hell, so put lots of newspaper on the counter and put your cutting board on top of that. The womenfolk should be asked to go pick up another six-pack from the corner store while you do this or they will get all sappy and not want to eat poor little Larry the lobster. It may take a few passes to get the bug into his port and starboard halves, but hang in there. This is when I pull out the intestinal tract and all other brown, green, squishy organs and parts and rinse a bit under running water in the sink.
OK, now arrange the halves shell-side down on a platter and mop them with the sauce until they won't take any more. The halves now go shell-side down on the grill at about an 8 out of a possible ten heat setting for gas or if using charcoal, that nice little dancing flame glow. When the meat gets opaque and a bit firm, flip the halves just long enough to get some grill marks on them. Flip them back over, douse with some more sauce, don't overcook, remove to platter. Serve with remaining sauce on the side.
