Food: Feast of Seven Fishes #5 – Lobster

Well, it just wouldn’t be a feast without some lobster.

Unfortunately, lobster is a pain to cook, and you don’t get much meat for your trouble. The solution is to buy pre-cooked lobster meat, but that’s rarely edible. Which is why I am ecstatic to have discovered Alive & Kicking Lobsters, a no-frills lobster pound located on Putnam Avenue between Harvard and Central Square. They sell lobster meat, salmon, shellfish, Alive & Kicking branded soda, and have won awards for their lobster sandwich (sandwich, not roll). They even have a few parking spots and a little outdoor seating for warmer weather. The employees sit behind a glass booth – which is a little alarming – but they are extremely nice, especially when you’re buying 3/4lb of lobster tails. This ran me $28, but it was absolutely worth it. The meat was perfectly cooked, had been very well chilled, and all I had to do was chop it for my recipe.

A few notes about what to expect in a lobster: If you cut open the tail to find something red, black, or green- it’s ok, those are eggs or the tomalley. All of these things are a natural part of lobsters, and every website uses the standard “don’t panic” disclaimer that they are “considered a delicacy by many.” Voila!

Lobster Scampi
3/4 lb cooked lobster meat (I prefer tail meat…this is not a cheap dish)
1 stick unsalted butter (…this is also not a particularly healthy dish)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup white wine (chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc)
juice from 1 lemon
4 garlic gloves, minced
2 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
1 cup assorted mushrooms, sliced
1 lb pasta, cooked
Parmesan cheese to top

Saute mushrooms, shallots and garlic in butter until fragrant and tender. Add white wine and lemon juice, reduce over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes. Add cream and parsley, salt to taste. Let simmer for another 5-8 minutes, then remove from heat until your pasta is cooked. Return pan to medium heat, add tomatoes, simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add cooked lobster meat, simmer for 1 minute. Turn off heat. Add cooked pasta, stir. Top with parmesan cheese, if desired. Voila.