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Tuesday 6th October 2020.
October 6, 2020
Tuesday means Feisty Foodie time with Sara. We link up with Niagara in Canada, for the week Sara has for us some tips on successful grilling and Lobster Rolls with San Blas Lobsters!
- Start with a clean grill. (This is easiest when the grill is hot.)
- Avoid putting cold foods straight on the grill. Letting meat come to temperature on the counter for 30 minutes before grilling will help it cook more evenly. (If you are looking for a rare sear, however — like if you’re grilling tuna, for example — then chilled is the way the go!)
- Don’t squeeze or flatten meats…you will squeeze out the taste and moisture
- Don’t move the food around — it will unstick itself when it’s ready for flipping
- Buy a meat thermometer: I recommend the Thermapen. It’s not the cheapest, but it’s fantastic! A meat thermometer will give you confidence! Avoid over stabbing!!
- Keep a spray bottle of water handy for flare-ups. Flames are not your food’s friends
- Undercook foods, just slightly. Carryover cooking is a real thing! Food continues to cook after it leaves the grill. You can expect food temperature to go up about five degrees after leaving the grill, so plan accordingly.
Rest all meat!Allow the meat to sit undisturbed (and unsliced!) for five to 15 minutes after cooking, as this will allow the juices to redistribute. The bigger the piece of meat, the longer the rest time. Resting meat is an important key to juicy results. Unless, of course we are talking about reverse seared meats!- Keep it simple when serving a crowd. Keep the protein options down as much as possible, and offer variety in some interesting side dishes, sauces or condiments. I full filet is a great option when serving a crowd, although I guess there aren’t a lot of “crowded gatherings” going on at the moment.
Lobster Rolls
With mayo or without? It depends where the recipe comes from! Maine or Connecticut?
Maine-Style Lobster Rolls
Ingredients
Two 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 pound lobsters , boiled or steamed Two 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 pound lobsters , boiled or steamed
3-4 tablespoons good mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped celery (optional, for those who like a little “crunch”
freshly-squeezed lemon juice (optional)
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
4 leaves lettuce (optional, I prefer Boston)
4 top-split, flat-sided hotdog buns (“New England” style)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
Instructions
Remove tail, knuckle, and claw meat from the lobsters and cut into 1/2-inch chunks. You should have about 1 pound of lobster meat. Refrigerate until chilled.
Drain lobster meat, discarding any liquid. Gently toss lobster with 3 tablespoons mayonnaise and celery (if using). The lobster should be coated, but not weighed down by the mayonnaise. Add an additional tablespoon of mayonnaise, if needed.
Taste the lobster salad. Some brands of mayo have more tang than others. If the salad needs more brightness, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Season to taste with salt (if needed) and pepper.
Cover the lobster salad and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 6-8 hours.
When ready to serve, preheat a griddle over medium heat. Butter the sides of the hotdog buns and grill 1-2 minutes on each side, until toasted.
Place a leaf or shredded lettuce (if using) into each griddled hotdog bun and mound each with 1/4 of the lobster salad. Serve immediately with french fries, kettle chips, coleslaw, and dill pickles, or warm potato salad, if desired.