Boiled Lobster

Seasonality is a wonderful thing. Along with all of the fantastically fresh local veggies this time of year, there are a few other things that are at their peak and lobster is one of them. Lobsters shed their shells in the spring and form newer, softer shells which are much easier to crack.

Fortunately for my family, summer is a big birthday season, which coincides perfectly with lobster season. It’s a tradition in my family to gather this time of year for birthday feasts of boiled lobster, grilled or boiled local sweet corn, potato salad and a nice green salad with fresh local vegetables.

For size, I like to stay within the 1 -1 1/2 lb. range, as lobster meat can get a bit tough once it hits the 2 lb. mark. Apart from being a healthy, low fat source of animal protein, rich in B vitamins and omega-3s, lobster is also incredibly easy to prepare. It’s literally as simple as boiling water.

Don’t be intimidated by lobster. My personal preference is to give them as much space as possible to cook, by either boiling them one at a time or in two separate pots, to ensure that they meet their end as quickly as possible. The water temperature drops with each lobster added to the pot, so if the pot is over-loaded, it will take longer to get back up to a rolling boil. Also, and this is just my own neurosis, if cooking one at a time, I like to place the cooked lobster on the opposite side of the room from the one about to go into the pot. Yes, I cook and eat lobster, but I’m not that heartless.

Once cooked, there is the issue of getting the meat from the shell. Don’t be intimidated. Busting into a lobster is not a delicate practice by nature, so don’t fret about getting your hands all lobstery. I recommend cracking the claws and knuckles with the dull end of a knife in the kitchen before serving. This helps excess water to drain from the shell and it also makes the meat easier to remove with a cracker and a pick at the table, just be careful of shards. For the tail meat, simply twist the tail off and open the shell by cracking the under side with your thumbs.  The best meat is arguably found in the claws and tail, though some meat can be found in the little legs and joints – also called knuckles – on the lobster’s body.

Lastly, don’t wear a bib.

Boiled Lobster - serves 2

2 – 1 1/2 lb lobsters
water
2 T salt per pot
1/4 C drawn butter

Fill one or two large stockpots about three quarters full with water and add the salt. Cover and bring to a rolling boil. Drop the lobster in head first, one per pot, and cover immediately. Boil for 15 minutes, lowering heat to medium halfway through. Remove the lobster from the water and allow 5 to 10 minutes to cool.

Remove elastic bands. To reduce the amount of water released when the lobster is served, crack the claws before serving. Place the lobster on a cutting board and using the dull end of a knife crack each claw and the two knuckle joints. Lift the lobster and allow to drain.

Serve with drawn butter.

Barbecue Steamed Fiddleheads

Fiddleheads, a type of fern harvested before the plant has a chance to unfurl, are as much a harbinger of spring in New England – and as fleeting – as a migratory bird passing through. They come up in the middle of spring, around the end of April and into May, when the soil has thawed and early vegetation makes its presence known.

The flavor is fresh and grassy, and offers a good contrast to heavier meats.

The following recipe uses the grill, so that while you happen to have the barbecue fired up anyway, you can toss your fiddleheads on toward the end for a quick steam in a foil pouch. The fiddleheads absorb the butter as it melts, turning each into a little net of creaminess.

If it’s still raining where you are, this recipe works just as will in a pan on the stove.

Barbecue Steamed Fiddleheads – serves 2 – 4

2 dozen fiddleheads
1 T butter, cut into 1/8 inch cubes
1 wedge of lemon

Clean the fiddleheads by rinsing them with cool water and cutting off the stems to expose a fresher surface.

Place them in the center of a large piece of aluminum foil. Evenly distribute the cubes of butter over the fiddleheads.

Fold fold the two opposite sides together and fold and press the ends together to form a pouch.

Place on a 400 degree grill for 5 – 7 minutes, flipping once. To avoid overcooking, it’s a good idea to do this once any meats or fish are just finishing up on the grill, since the fiddleheads need very little time to cook.

Remove from foil, place in a serving dish and squeeze with fresh lemon.

Ingredient origins – Fiddleheads – Maine; Butter – Maine; Lemon – Mexico

Beef Empanadas

I made a lovely locally raised, grass-fed top round roast the other day. I should say, it was lovely, until I tragically overcooked it. Horrors, I know.

What do you do when life gives you overcooked grass-fed top round roast? Make empanadas. That’s what I always say.

This is a good recipe for any leftover beef, overcooked or not. But, if the meat is a little on the dry or tough side, the acidity in the vinegar and tomato paste will help to break down it as it rests in the fridge.

It seems a little odd to add raisins to a meat dish, doesn’t it? Go with me on this one though. Raisins lend little bursts of sweetness, while cured black olives – I like oily, wrinkly Gaetas – bring a briny punch. Together as a team, they give empanadas a nice balance.

Beef Empanadas - makes 8

2 C diced roast beef
2 T olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
2 T vinegar
2 T tomato paste
1 t ground cumin
1 t smoked paprika
1/2 t granulated garlic
2 C all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1/4 C shortening, chilled
1/2 C cold water
1/4 C raisins
10 cured black olives, pitted and minced (the brinier the better)
1 egg, beaten

Sweat the onions and diced jalapeno in olive oil on low to medium-low heat, being careful not to let them brown.

Combine the vinegar, tomato paste and spices in a small bowl.

In a larger bowl toss the meat with the spice mixture and sauteed vegetables. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the pastry: Pulse the flour, salt and shortening in a food processor until it has the texture of cornmeal. Gradually pour the water into the feed tube while the dough spins. Turn the dough out and form it into a log, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and slice into eight discs. Roll each one out to about 7 or 8 inches in diameter, they should be about a 1/4 of an inch thick.

Remove the beef mixture from the refrigerator and toss with the raising and olive (we’re doing this after the big chill to avoid the raisins from macerating).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Working one by one, scoop a slightly heaping 1/4 cup of the beef mixture onto one side of a round of dough. Fold the dough over and press the edges together. Starting from one end, fold the dough over itself along the edge and pinch it slightly to form a seal. Place each empanada onto a greased baking sheet.

Brush each one with the beaten egg.

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until lightly golden in color.

Serve with a nice big dollop of sour cream and a nice big glass of sangria.

Ingredient origins: beef – Maine; egg – New Hampshire; vinegar and flour – Vermont; yellow onion – California; green onion and jalapeno pepper – Mexico; smoked paprika – Spain; olive oil, olives, tomato paste and sea salt – Italy; shortening, raisins, granulated garlic and cumin – unknown

Asparagus on Toast with Poached Duck Eggs

Sometimes I wish I spoke French fluently. Because the title of this dish would surely sound less awkward in French. But if I went around calling it Asperge sur le Pain avec l’Oeuf de Canard, it would be way longer. Also, this dish has nothing to do with France. My husband votes for Duck Egg Supreme. I say only if we can pronounce it suprême.

In any case, this is similar to a dish that my mother made on occasion when I was growing up. It can be made with any kind of egg. It doesn’t have to be duck. We just happened to have some duck eggs lying around anyway, so I decided to try them out in this dish.

There is not much difference between duck eggs and chicken eggs. The two are very similar in taste and texture, but duck eggs tend to be larger, with a massive yolk. Because of this, I’ve found that poaching is a good preparation method, as opposed to frying, which can overcook the white in the time it takes for the yolk to set up. Duck eggs can also have a robin’s egg blue shell in some cases, but so do some chicken eggs.

Use a good crusty bread with an open crumb for the toast. I like the Francese from Iggy’s in Cambridge, Massachusetts – the same bread that my husband once proclaimed, naturally makes you want to bring the loaf to your face and inhale its aroma.

Asparagus has that almost alkaline bitter-sweetness, which brings out the subtle sweetness in the toast. Smoked paprika lends it’s salty savoriness. Break open the yolk to dip and it’s a celebration of the three simple ingredients. This dish is excellent for brunch, lunch or dinner.

Asparagus on Toast with Duck Eggs - Serves 2

2 eggs (duck or otherwise)
20 asparagus spears
2 slices of good, crusty French bread
water
smoked paprika (optional)

Heat about a half inch of water in a large skillet with a cover. Add asapargus and cook 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly grease two ramekins or heat-proof cups (ceramic or otherwise). Heat about a half inch of water in a skillet with a cover. When the water comes to a boil, drop an egg into each ramekin. Cover and allow to cook 4 minutes. Remove ramekins from heat immediately to stop cooking the eggs.

Toast the bread.

Drain the asparagus. Place the bread on a plate and layer with the asparagus and then the egg. Dust with smoked paprika if desired.

Ingredient origins: Duck eggs – New Hampshire; Asparagus – Mexico; Bread – Massachusetts; Smoked Paprika – Spain

Sun-Dried Tomato Spread

I know, I know, I know. Sun-dried tomatoes are a un peu 1992, but I guess I’m a child of the 90’s. For years I really didn’t care for sun-dried tomatoes, so I missed out on it the first time around. They say your taste can change over time and in this case it certainly has. It’s hard to imagine not liking them now.

Goat cheese has a lovely tang and provides the perfect foil for the sweet sun-dried tomatoes. Olive oil lends a grassy flavor and creates a vehicle for cracker dippage.

This is a good spread to throw together for impromptu visitors, provided that you keep a jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil on your refrigerator door and, like me, have a good goat cheese on hand at most times.

Sun-dried Tomato Spread – serves 4

4 oz. fresh goat cheese
5 – 7 pieces sun-dried tomato in olive oil, diced (about 4 T), + 1 T oil
2 – 3 T olive oil
a dash of finely ground sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Mash together using a fork.

Transfer to a pretty, pretty dish (as my mother says), using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and get all the goodness.

Serve with a sliced baguette or crackers.

Ingredient origins: Goat cheese – Vermont; Sun-dried tomatoes – Turkey; Olive oil – Italy; Sea salt – Maine