Maine Lobster Wraps in Red Pepper Sauce

 Joffre DiSabatino  First Place Winner and Celebrity Judges Award, 1998

INGREDIENTS:

(4 servings)

4 Maine Lobster tails

½ cup melted butter

8 squares phyllo dough (8”x 8”)

1 Tablespoon garlic salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

4 each skewers, metal or wood

1 recipe Red Pepper Sauce - follows

Red Pepper Sauce:

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 can chicken broth (10 oz.)

1 pint heavy cream

2-4 dashes Tabasco sauce

2 Tablespoons paprika, divided

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 Tablespoons butter

2 shallots, diced

DIRECTIONS:

Remove Maine Lobster meat from tail in one piece and rinse in water. Slide a metal or wooden skewer through the tails (one each length wise). Brush each with butter and season with the garlic salt and pepper. Grill Maine Lobster skewers over medium heat turning often. Grill approximately 5 minutes. Meat should be opaque. Remove from grill and remove skewers. Lay sheets of phyllo dough out flat in 2's. Brush with butter and place a tail in each. Wrap in a burrito fashion and then brush outside of wrap with butter. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until phyllo wraps are golden brown and crispy.

Red Pepper Sauce:

In a pan, melt butter. Add ¾ of the red peppers, all the shallots and garlic. Sauté until half cooked and add the stock. Bring to a boil and reduce by 1/2. Remove and put in a blender and blend on high. Strain sauce and return to heat. Add cream and reduce by 1/2. Add basil, salt, 1 Tablespoon of the paprika, cayenne pepper and Tabasco. Simmer for approximately 2 minutes and serve.

For presentation, cut wraps in a diagonal motion, (about three different pieces per wrap). Place on plates (one tail per serving). Pour Red Pepper Sauce over Maine Lobster wraps. Garnish with the unused red peppers and rest of the paprika. 

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Steamed Maine Lobster and Sweet Corn Tamale with Creamy Chilies and Leeks

 Chef Clifford Pickett,

INGREDIENTS:

(4 as an entree)

Sweet Corn Tamales:
1 ¼ cup fine yellow corn meal
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 medium shallot
¾ cup chicken stock
¼ cup buttermilk
1½ tablespoons white sugar
½ cup unsalted butter melted
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
15 dried corn husks, soaked in warm water for 1-2hrs. Method: Fully submerge corn husks in a large bowl or pot using hot tap water. Let soak 1-2 hours or until pliable.

Steamed Lobster:
4 1 1/8pound lobsters

Creamy Chilies and Leeks
1 cup leeks
1¼ cups heavy cream
¼ cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 Jalapeno or Fresno peppers (seeded and finely chopped)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Sweet Corn Tamales:
Method: In a food processor or blender combine corn, shallot, melted butter, buttermilk, and chicken stock. Blend for 30 seconds or until there are no large pieces of shallot or corn. Transfer the mixture in to a large mixing bowl, add corn meal, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix well until there are no large lumps.

After corn husks have soaked for 1-2 hours remove them from the water and pat dry. Set aside the largest, best looking husks. With the remaining husks make ties by tearing the husks, lengthwise into ¼ inch strips. Place one of your large husks on a flat surface and spoon about 1/3 cup of your corn meal mixture in middle of the husk. Fold each of the long sides of the corn husks tightly over each other, then tie each end of the tamale with one of the strips. Do this until you have used up all your filling, you will most likely have a few extra husks. Once you are done wrapping your tamales, place them in a steamer pot on a rack and steam for one hour. Let tamales rest for ten minutes before plating.

Steamed Lobster:
Method:
Fill pot so that water comes up the sides about two inches. Add 1 teaspoon of salt for each quart of water. Bring water to a rolling boil over high heat. Place lobsters in the pot on a steamer rack, cover tightly and start counting the time. Steam lobster for 7 minutes. Remove claw, knuckle and tail meat from the shells. Leave claw and knuckle meat whole and chop tail into bite size pieces. Set aside until sauce is made.

Note:
In general lobster is steamed for seven minutes for the first pound and three minutes for each additional pound. In this recipe I cook the 1 1/8 pound lobsters for exactly 7 minutes because they are reheated in the sauce later. If you do not have a steamer rack for your pot the lobster can be placed directly into the water.

Creamy Chilies and Leeks

Method:
Add vegetable oil to large sauté pan and bring to medium heat. Combine leeks, minced garlic, and jalapenos. Cook 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add coconut milk and cream. Reduce on medium heat, stirring frequently until it is a sauce consistency or thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add chopped cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add lobster meat to sauce and reheat when you are ready to begin plating.

Plating:
Remove tamales from corn husks and place on individual serving plates. Spoon equal amounts of lobster and sauce over tamales. Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs.

Notes:
If fresh corn is not in season frozen corn works fine. Tamales may be made ahead of time and refrigerated before steaming. If your tamales are not hot when its time for plating they can be reheated in the steamer. Tamale mixture may appear looser than it should be but it will firm up after resting. Corn husks may be used for plating presentation.

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Rustic Maine Lobster and Butternut Squash Ravioli with Toasted Walnuts, Sage and Maple Bacon

Submitted by: Chef William Clifford, Portland Harbor Hotel, Eve's First Garden

Serving Information

(Serves 6 as an entree, total meal in Approx 1 hour 25 min)
 

For the filling (prep time approximately 1 hour, with cooking)

1 pound of Maine lobster meat, cut into bite sized pieces
1 pound of peeled butternut squash cut into cubes
½ pound of peeled Russet potato cut into cubes
2 leeks cleaned and cut into 1 inch chunks
5 cloves of fresh garlic
2 cups of light cream
1 cup of water
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to season, approximately 1 ½ teaspoons

For the rest of the dish (prep time approximately 25 minutes, with plating)

1 package of prepared fresh pasta sheets, or 6 squares 10 inches by 10 inches
¾ cup of walnut halves, lightly toasted and seasoned with salt and pepper
1 bunch of fresh sage, roughly chopped
6 slices of good quality bacon
2 tablespoons of real Maine maple syrup
8 tablespoons of butter
¼ cup of dry vermouth
1 bunch of chives, minced

-In a large, shallow pot combine the butternut, potato, leeks, garlic, cream, water, and spices. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes or until the squash and potatoes are tender.

-When the mixture is cool enough to handle, ladle the solid part of the mixture in batches into a food processor and blend until smooth, adjusting the consistency with the liquid. We want a smooth paste. There might be leftover liquid when you are finished; that’s OK- the liquid content of the squash varies wildly. Make the paste and thin it out as you go with the cooking liquid. Taste for salt and pepper and set aside.

-Preheat your oven to 350F degrees.

-Drizzle the maple syrup over the bacon and roast the bacon at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and fragrant. Cool, roughly chop and set aside.

-Boil a large pot of salted water for your pasta sheets.

-Melt 2 tablespoon of butter in a medium sized sauté pan, add the lobster, season with salt and pepper, and as the meat becomes fragrant, add the squash puree. Fold the lobster and puree together until the mixture is incorporated and keep it warm.

-Melt the other 6 tablespoons of butter in another medium sized sauté pan. When the butter begins to foam, add the walnuts, the sage and the bacon. Off the heat, add the vermouth. The alcohol should burn off at this point. Toss the mixture together, season with salt and pepper, and keep warm.

-Cook your pasta sheets, draining each one for excess water. As they are complete, rest each one on a dinner plate. You want to leave some of each sheet resting off the plate; we are going to fold the sheet in half over the filling, creating the ravioli effect.

-Carefully spoon 1/6 of the mixture, or approximately 8 ounces, onto each sheet, fold the top over the mixture, and press a small dimple into each ravioli.

-Spoon 1/6 of the walnut mixture, or approximately 3 ounces, on top of each one, carefully drizzling some of the pan butter on top of each ravioli

-Garnish each one with minced chives.

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Roasted Maine Lobster Tail on Braised Cabbage and Cornbread

Submitted by: Mackenzie Arrington

INGREDIENTS:

(4 servings)

Maine Lobster Tails, Roasted 4 ea
Braised Cabbage with Bacon 12 ea
Cornbread, cut into rounds 4 ea
Herb Compound Butter 8 oz
Salt and Pepper t.t.

Roasted Lobster Tails

Lobster tail, split 4 ea
Butter, unsalted 2 Tbsp
Shallots, minced 1 ea
Garlic, minced 2 cloves
Salt and Pepper t.t.

Braised Cabbage

Butter, unsalted ½ oz
Bacon, small dice 4 oz
Onions, small dice 1 cup
Garlic, minced ½ Tbsp
Shallots, minced ½ Tbsp
Cabbage, stems removed, roughly torn 2 lbs.
White wine 2 ¼ oz
Chicken stock, recipe above 5 ½ oz
Ham hock 1 ea.
Salt and pepper t.t.

Cornbread

Milk 1/2 cup
Butter Milk 1/2 cup
Butter, unsalted, soft 2/3 cup
Sugar (half if too sweet) 1 cup
Egg 3 ea
Sweet Corn 3 oz
Cornmeal 1 cup
AP Flour 2 1/3 cup
Baking Soda ( more if not fluffy) 4 ½ tsp
Salt 1 tsp

Compound Butter

Butter, unsalted 8 ea
Parsley, minced ½ Tbsp
Tarragon, minced ½ Tbsp
Thyme, minced ¼ Tbsp
Chervil, minced ¼ Tbsp
Chives, minced ¼ Tbsp
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Salt t.t.

DIRECTIONS:

Braised Cabbage

1. Render bacon in butter until light golden brown in a wide sauce pot.
2. Add onions and garlic, sweat until aromatic.
3. Add cabbage and sweat until aromatic. Deglaze with wine, reduce by ½ .
4. Add chicken stock and ham hock, cover, bring to simmer and braise until tender, ~40 minutes.
5. Remove cabbage and reserve.
6. Reduce braising liquid to glace.
7. Remove ham hock.
8. Add cabbage back to braising liquid.
9. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. Reserve for production.

Lobster Tails

1. Split each tail with scissors along the top of the shell.
2. Remove intestinal tract.
3. In a sauté pan melt butter and sweat shallots and garlic.
4. Lightly brush lobster tail meat with melted butter mixture.
5. Place the tails on a medium-high temp grill meat side up.
6. Flip after 5 minutes.
7. Flip again after 3 minutes and lightly reapply butter mixture.
8. Cook for another couple minutes until done.
9. Reserve for production

Cornbread

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Cream soft butter and sugar. Combine milk and eggs.
3. Combine all dry ingredients.
4. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with egg mixture.
5. Pour into a greased cast iron skillet.
6. Bake for 20 – 27 minutes or until toothpick tests is successful.
7. Cut into rounds for production.

Compound butter

1. Cream butter and herbs together until herbs are fully incorporated.
2. Add lemon juice and salt to taste.
3. Transfer butter and herb mixture to plastic wrap and shape into a 1 inch diameter log.
4. Roll butter tightly and place into freezer until production.

Production

1. Place cornbread round as a base in the center of the plate.
2. Top with a layer of braised cabbage and bacon.
3. Place the roasted lobster tail on the cabbage.
4. Top with a ¼ slice of compound butter.
5. Either serve or enjoy it yourself!

Equipment Needed

· 1 Large cast iron skillet
· 1 Large sauce pot
· Plastic Wrap
· 1 Large sauté pan or a grill top
· 1 Small sauté pan
· 2 Medium metal bowl

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Maple Butter Poached Lobster Tail With A Sweet Potato and Fuji Apple Bisque and Frizzles of Green Onion

Submitted by: Melissa Bouchard, DiMillo's Floating Restaurant

INGREDIENTS:

(4 servings)

Bisque:

1/4 cup of butter
2 medium onion peeled and diced
2 sweet potatoes peeled and diced
3 fuji apples peeled, cored and diced
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
Zest of one small orange
4 cups of chicken stock
1/2 cup of heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Maple Poached Lobster Tail:

4 MAINE lobster tails, meat separated from the shell
2 tablespoons of water
2 1/2 pounds of butter cubed
1/2 cup of Pure Maple Syrup

Garnish:

1 bunch of green onions
1/2 cup of vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

Bisque:

Melt butter in a large heavy bottom saucepot. Saute onion, sweet potatoes and apple until onion is transluscent. Add all other ingredients except for cream and simmer for 30 minutes. With an emulsion blender or food processor blend all ingredients together until very smooth. Strain through a sieve and return back to saucepot. Add cream and season with salt and pepper.

Maple Poached Lobster Tail:

In a saucepot bring water to a boil. Reduce heat and butter, whisking gradually. Add maple syrup and while maintaining a temperature of 160-170 degrees add lobster tails side by side, meat side down poach in maple butter for 6-8 minutes until meat is opaque, but not rubbery! Split each tail in half lengthwise.

Garnish:

In a saucepan heat oil until it just begins to smoke. Add green onions and fry for about 30 seconds. Remove from pan and place on a clean paper towel.

In a shallow bowl, ladle about 3/4 a cup of bisque. Add 1/4 of the green onions and rest a tail on the onions. Garnish with fresh parsley.

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Butternut-Mascarpone Lobster Ravioli, Balsamic Pomegranate Spinach Salad

Submitted by: Rick Skoglund, Samoset Resort

INGREDIENTS:

(7 servings)


For the Ravioli:
1 lb Peeled, roughly chopped butternut squash
4 oz Mascarpone cheese
1 oz Roasted garlic
1 oz Brown sugar
1 tsp. Salt
pinch white pepper
1 egg, beaten
17.5 oz cooked lobster meat
70 Wonton wrappers

Balsamic Pomegranate Reduction:
Yield: ½ cup
¼ c. 2-year aged balsamic
¼ c. Mirin
¼ c. Pomegranate Juice
¼ c. Sugar

Salad:
7 Cups fresh spinach

DIRECTIONS:

For the Ravioli:
1.Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees, bring 2 qts of salted water to a simmer.
2. Cover garlic with olive oil in a shallow pan, wrap in tin foil and cook for 25-30 minutes or until soft and golden brown.
3. Add chopped squash to simmering water; simmer 8-10 minutes until squash is tender
4. Drain, add butternut to a mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients.
5. Mix filling until incorporated.
6. Lay out half the wontons on a dry surface, measure ¾ Tbl. for the center of each ravioli. Add ½ oz of lobster to the center with butternut filling. Dip a finger into the beaten egg, and trace the edges of the wrapper. Place one of the remaining wrappers over the top, seal tightly along the edges. Use a 2 ½-inch circular cutter to shape the ravioli.
7. Steam or simmer ravioli for 5 minutes.

Balsamic Pomegranate Reduction
1. Add all ingredients to a small saucepot, stir mixture well.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Lower heat to a simmer, stirring every few minutes until the mixture has reduced by half.
4. Allow to cool before serving.

Salad Assembly:
1. Pick, wash and dry 7 cups of fresh spinach leaves. Place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Reserve 1 Tbl. of balsamic reduction for garnish.
3. Toss remainder of reduction with spinach leaves.

Plating:
1. Place 1 cup of salad mixture in the center of plate.
2. Arrange 5 ravioli evenly around salad.
3. Drizzle some of the reserved reduction onto each plate, and serve.

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Harvest Lobster

Submitted by: Chef Melissa Bouchard, DiMillo's on the Water

Serving Information

Lobster
4 Lobster tails boiled/steamed for 2 minutes, shocked in ice water and removed from shell

Porcini Salt
1 pkg dried porcini mushrooms
¼ cup sea salt
In a food processor grind the mushrooms and sea salt together. Reserve

Tempura
1 cup of rice flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 ½ cups of ice cold soda water
1 qt of vegetable oil

To make batter, mix the rice flour and cornstarch together. Whisk in the soda water. Keep batter very cold until use. Dip lobster tails in tempura batter and drop slowly and carefully into hot oil. Cook until golden brown. Transfer onto a paper towel lined sheet pan and lightly salt with porcini salt.

Corn Puree:
4 - ears of corn
1 - cup of milk
1 - shallot diced fine
1 - tablespoon butter
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Remove corn from husk. In a saute pan over medium heat add the butter and shallots. Sweat the shallots for 2-3 minutes and add milk and corn. Bring to a simmer for about 5-7 minutes. Blend in a blender or food processor until rich and creamy. Salt and pepper to taste.

Bacon:Render 3 strips of thick cut apple wood smoked bacon in a teaspoon of olive oil. Chop and reserve.

Bourbon Butter sauce :
1/4 - cup butter
1/4 - cup onion, minced
2 - garlic cloves, minced
2 - teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, minced
3 - tablespoons bourbon
2 - teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 - teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
pinch brown sugar

In a saute pan add butter. When butter is melted add onions. When the onions begin to sweat, add the garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add bourbon, being careful that flames might present. Whisk in Dijon, Worcestershire, sugar and rosemary. Simmer for 5-6 minutes.

Bull’s Blood:
Small package of Bull’s Blood
Dash of Apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste:

To assemble:
Layer corn puree on the bottom of a plate, place lobster tail on top of puree, place Bull’s Blood on top of lobster tail, sprinkle with reserved bacon and spoon the bourbon butter sauce artfully around the dish

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Serving Information

(8 servings)
 

Main Components

Ingredient Amount
Ricotta gnudi ................................................8 ea/portion
Maine lobster, claw knuckles......................1lb
Truffle cream sauce.....................................1 pt
Chanterelle mushrooms, roasted...............4 oz
Chervil ..........................................................8 pc
Black Truffle, shaved ..................................8 slices
Salt and Pepper ..........................................t.t.

Ricotta Gnudi

Ingredient Amount
Ricotta ..........................................................1 qt
Eggs .............................................................2 ea
Truffle oil ......................................................2Tbsp
Salt .............................................................. t.t.
Flour Aprox. ................................................1 qt

Maine Lobster

Ingredient Amount
Lobster, claw knuckle meat ........................1lbs
Butter ............................................................2lbs

Truffle Cream Sauce

Ingredient Amount
Heavy Cream ...............................................1qt
Shallot, minced ............................................3 ea
White Wine ..................................................1 cup
Truffle trim ....................................................1 Tbsp
Salt and truffle oil .........................................t.t.

Method – Ricotta Gnudi
1.Remove the ricotta from the liquid and place into a large bowl. Whisk until all the curds are broken up and the ricotta is smooth.
2.Season heavily with salt, whisk and taste. Once you’ve reached the desired level of seasoning add truffle oil in while whisking until you can taste truffle but it is not overpowering.
3.Add in the eggs and whisk until they are fully incorporated.
4.Switch to a rubber spatula and add in a small handful of flour and fold in. You want to incorporate the flour with as minimal motion as possible not to over work the gluten. Add in flour until the mixture begins to form up and not stick to the sides of the bowl as easily.
5.Flour your work services and place the mixture onto the flour. Sprinkle with flour and work the remainder in by "chopping and folding” it with a bench scraper.
6.Once the mixture has started to bind and is still slightly tacky you are ready to go.
7.Work with small amounts at a time and keep the main mixture covered with plastic wrap so it does not dry out. First make a single size piece to test in water that is just under a boil to make sure all of the seasoning levels are correct and the mixture holds together.
8.Roll the portions out by hand in an outward motion on a floured surface to great one quarter width cylinder. Use the bench scraper or a knife to cut the "gnocchi” into 1’’ pieces. Place onto a well floured sheet tray and then sprinkle more flour over top to start the curing process. Let the gnudi "cure” for a few hours under refrigeration before use.

Method – Maine Lobster
1.Cook your claw and knuckles in boiling water seasoned with salt (should taste like the sea they came out of!) and any other seasonings you wish to use, I personally enjoy fennel seed.
2.Cook for ~ 7 minutes.
3.Shock them in ice water and then remove them from the shell for the final preparation.

Method – Truffle Cream Sauce
1.In a sauce pot heat a little oil and butter over medium low heat.
2.Add shallots and season with salt.
3.Once the shallots begin to break down and sweat they will become very aromatic and translucent. You do not want any color.
4.While you are doing this process have the cream in a separate pot over low heat reducing. You want to reduce the cream by ¼ by the end of the sauce so this just gives you a bit of a jump start.
5.Deglaze the shallots with wine once they are translucent and let the wine reduce down till it is "dry.” You will be left with very soft and aromatic shallots at this point.
6.Add the cream and finish out the reduction.
7.Once the cream has come to the desired reduction transfer it into another pot or bain marie.
8.Season with salt and truffle oil and add in truffle trim.
9.Cover with plastic wrap and let steep for 20 mins.
10.Reserve warm if you are going to use it right away, if not cool as fast as possible and store cold.

Method – Production/finishing
1.Have a large pot of heavily seasoned water just under a boil.
2.Place lobster claws and knuckles into warm brown butter or drawn butter and allow them to heat through while you are preparing the rest of the dish.
3.In a warm pan add a couple drops of oil and place your chanterelle mushrooms in. Once they start to get a little color on one side and start to release liquid flip them. Once the mushrooms are tender season with salt and toss a knob of butter into the pan, toss the mushrooms or baste them with the butter. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place them into the base of the bowl.
4.Drop your gnudi into the bubbling water for ~45 seconds or until they are "dancing” on the top of the water.
5.Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the gnudi into a pan with ~2 oz of your sauce.
6.In a circular motion move the gnudi around in the pan to cover them but do not break them. This will also help thicken the sauce.
7.Remove the lobster from the butter with a slotted spoon and season with a sprinkle of sea salt.
8.Gently place your gnudi around the mushrooms in the bowl and reserve the sauce in the pan.
9.Place the lobster knuckle meat with the gnudi but try not to smash your hard work.
10.Spoon out the remainder of the sauce over the gnudi, lobster meat and mushrooms.
11.Finish by placing the claw meat and shaved truffle on top. Garnish with a nice piece or two of chervil.
12.Serve and smile!

Equipment Needed
-Large bowl
-Whisk
-Rubber spatula
-Bench Scraper
-2 large pots
-2 sauté pans(any size)
-1 Bain marie or similar vessel
-Slotted spoon
-Spider or handled wire strainer
-Large sheet tray

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Maine Harvest

Submitted by: Chef Kerry Altiero, Cafe Miranda

Serving Information

(2 servings, prepare in 20 min, cook time 20 min)
 

Dinner Entré

Main Ingredients Amount
Picked Maine Lobster after cooking.................................8 oz
Fresh Café Miranda Pasta or other fresh pasta.............12 oz
Large Heirloom Tomato....................................................14+ oz
Sweet corn on the Cob......................................................1 ear
Fresh Curly or Flat Parsley................................................½ bunch
Garlic...................................................................................¼ tsp
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.........................................................3+ oz
Corse Salt..........................................................................To taste
Cracked Pepper...............................................................To taste
Lemon.................................................................................½
Water..................................................................................4 quarts

Directions:

Preparation

Lobster Prep
1. Steam, pick and cube lobster meat and chill; or purchase pre-cooked and picked lobster meat.

Vegetable Prep
1. Shuck and clean corn and shave kernels off cob.
2. Core tomato, dice to a medium size. Place diced tomatoes in bowl with a sprinkle of salt.
Let sit for 10-15 minutes to draw out juice. Reserve juice and tomatoes.
3. Wash and coarsely chop parsley.
4. Mince garlic.
5. Juice lemon.

Production
-Bring 4 quarts of water, lightly salted to boil.
-In large mixing bowl mix all ingredients except: Pasta, corn and tomatoes.
-Heat a heavy skillet to medium-high heat. Add corn and stir until lightly toasted and color intensifies. Once color has changed, remove skillet from heat and add tomatoes and reserved juice.
-Add pasta to boiling water. Cook to al-dente as per directed on pasta container. For Café Miranda pasta, cook 5 min.
-While pasta is cooking, add corn and tomato mixture to remaining ingredients in large mixing bowl.
-After pasta has fully cooked, drain (do not rinse).
-Add pasta to remaining ingredients in large mixing bowl.
-Let stand for 5 minutes. This allows the heat of the pasta, corn and tomatoes to gently warm remaining ingredients without cooking or breaking down remaining ingredients.
-Toss and turn out onto nice serving platter or plate individually.

Try with a Fume Blanc and some fresh baked Café Miranda focaccia bread. Heaven on your fork – Chef Kerry Altiero

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 Flavorful  Maine Shrimp Chowder

Mainechowder differs from other New England chowders in that it's often not thickened with flour. This results is a light soup perfectly suited to delicate Maine shrimp. This dish comes from Sam Hayward, the chef of Fore Street in Portland, Maine, and an all-around champion of Maine's foods and food culture.

3 lbs. shell-on, head-on Maine shrimp

1⁄4 oz. slab bacon, cut into 1⁄4" pieces

3 medium russet potatoes (about 1 pound), quartered

   lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1⁄2" pieces

1 large leek, white part only, cut into 1⁄4" pieces

3 tbsp. butter

3⁄4 cup heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 tsp. snipped chives

1. Peel the heads and shells off the shrimp, reserving both for the shrimp broth. (If the shrimp are in the middle of their spawn, says Hayward, clusters of gray eggs may be present that will not adversely affect the broth.) Transfer the shrimp to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate them until the chowder base is completed. Place the shrimp shells and heads in a large pot and add 10 cups cold water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce to low and gently simmer for 5 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and set aside.

2. Now make the chowder base. Cook the bacon in a small pot of simmering water for 1 minute. Drain. Heat a medium pot over medium heat, add the bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it releases some of its fat. Add potatoes and leeks, stir well, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of the reserved shrimp broth (freeze remainder for another use) and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 8–10 minutes. Remove the chowder base from the heat and cover to keep warm.

3. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Raise the heat to high, add the chilled shrimp and cream, stir well, and bring to a boil. Let boil for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp mixture to the chowder base and stir gently to combine. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Season with salt, a generous amount of black pepper, and the cayenne. Ladle into warm soup bowls and sprinkle the chives on top of each.

SERVES 4

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Scallops and French cream sauce

Ingredients:

1 lb medium-size scallops

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

Juice of ½ lemon

Sauce:

¼ cup shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup Chardonnay

1 tablespoon chives

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley

1 teaspoon fresh tarragon

½ cup cream

1 teaspoon lemon juice 

Directions:

Mix flour, salt and paprika. Dredge scallops in mixture and set aside. Discard the rest of the flour mixture.

Heat olive oil and butter until hot but not browning. Sauté scallops for about 3 minutes or until light golden in color on one side and then turn for another 3 minutes. Remove to platter and squeeze lemon juice over scallops. Keep warm but don’t let them dry out. (Just cover with foil)

Put shallots and garlic in pan and sauté for a couple of minutes until shallots are transparent. Add the wine and herbs and cook until reduced by about ½, scraping any browned bits into the sauce. Pour any juices from scallops into pan. Add cream and lemon juice and heat but do not boil.

Serve scallops with sauce on top.

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 Shrimp with Basil‐Garlic Butter

Courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Serves 4 (first course).

Ingredients: 12  fresh shrimp ( or  3/4 lb), shelled and deveined. 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oi.l 2 teaspoons minced garlic. 1/3 cup  dry white wine.1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces. 1/2 cup shredded fresh basil.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté shrimp 1 minute per side. Transfer shrimp to a baking dish and bake in middle of oven until just cooked through, about 6 minutes.

While shrimp bakes, add garlic to skillet and cook, stirring, over moderate heat 15 seconds, then stir in wine, juice, and tomatoes. Boil, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by two thirds. Swirl in butter and basil over low heat and season with salt and pepper.

Serve shrimp with sauce. 

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Roasted Maine Lobster with Meyer Lemon Butter

 Ingredients:

½ cup butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon fresh Meyer lemon juice

1 tablespoon Chardonnay

1 tablespoon parsley, minced

2 tablespoons chives, minced

2 tablespoons shallots, minced

1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest

½ teaspoon tarragon, minced

½ teaspoon dill, minced

¼ teaspoon garlic, minced

2 live Maine lobsters, about 1½ pounds each

1 Meyer lemon, cut into wedges

  Directions:

Combine the butter, lemon juice, wine, parsley, chives, shallots, lemon zest, tarragon, dill, and garlic in a small bowl. Whisk with a wire whip until well blended and fluffy. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, drop in the lobster and cook, covered, for 8 minutes. Plunge the lobster into cold water. Cook the second lobster the same way and plunge into cold water. Firmly grasp each claw where it joins the body and twist it off. Crack the shell in several places and remove the claw meat. Cut the lobsters in half lengthwise and remove the meat from the body.

Clean and reserve the body shell halves. Cut all the lobster meat into bite-sized pieces and replace it in the body shell halves.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. To roast, spread the lemon butter over the lobster meat, cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 8 minutes. Serve at once with lemon wedges on the side.

Serve oysters in the half shell for a starter, a mixed green, pear and walnut salad, and a crunchy French baguette.

Serves 2

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 Roasted Rack of Venison and Shallots with Dried‐Cranberry Gravy

Courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Venison is best served rare to medium, as it is a very lean meat that toughens and develops a strong flavor if overcooked.  (The following recipe may also be made with a 2  1/2-pound beef fillet.)

Serves 6.

 Ingredients: 8- to 11 rib (3- to 4-pound) rack of venison, halved to form two 4- to 6-rib racks and any tough membranes trimmed. 2 pounds shallots, trimmed and peeled. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus additional for rubbing the venison. 1/2 cup beef broth. 1/2 cup dry red wine. 1/2 cup water. 1 tablespoon juniper berries (available in the spice section of supermarkets), crushed lightly. 2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water. 1/3 cup dried cranberries (available at specialty foods shops). 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a roasting pan large enough to hold the venison racks without crowding them, toss the shallots with 2 tablespoons of the oil and salt and pepper to taste and roast them in the middle of the oven, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are golden. Pat the venison dry, season it with salt and pepper, and rub it generously with the additional oil. Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat until it is hot and in it  sear the venison on all sides. Push the shallots to the sides of the roasting pan, stand the venison racks in the middle of the pan, allowing the bones to rest together, and roast the mixture in the middle of the oven for 23 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 125°F., for rare meat.

Transfer the racks with shallots to a platter and let them stand, covered loosely with foil, for 15 minutes. To the roasting pan add the broth, the wine, the water, and the juniper berries and simmer the mixture, scraping up the brown bits, for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve which is set over a small saucepan, whisk the cornstarch mixture, and add it to the saucepan with the cranberries, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer the gravy, whisking, for 5 minutes. Cut the venison into individual chops and serve it with the shallots and the gravy.  

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Spiced Venison Steaks with Red‐Cabbage Confit and Red‐Wine Sauce

 Courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients: a 3 1/2- to 4-pound boneless loin of venison, trimmed and cut crosswise into eight 4- to 6-ounce steaks, reserving any remaining for another use. 2 tablespoons black peppercorns. 2 tablespoons Szechwan peppercorns .2 tablespoons dried allspice berries. 1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened. 3 tablespoons vegetable oil. 1/2 cup minced white part of scallion plus 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallion green. 1 cup dry red wine.  red-cabbage confit as an accompaniment ( look in the butcher shop section of your supermarket) .

Flatten each steak to a 3/4-inch thickness between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. In a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag or between 2 sheets of wax paper crush the peppercorns and the allspice berries coarse with the bottom of a heavy skillet. Press the peppercorn mixture into both sides of the steaks and chill the steaks, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 2 hours or overnight.

In each of 2 heavy skillets heat 1/2 tablespoon of the butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat until the foam subsides and in the fat sauté the steaks, seasoned with salt, for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until they are just springy to the touch for rare meat.

Transfer the steaks with a slotted spatula to a platter and keep them warm, covered loosely. Pour off the fat remaining in the skillets, to each skillet add 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter and half the minced white scallion, and cook the scallion over moderate heat, stirring, until it is softened.

Deglaze each skillet with 1/2 cup of the wine, scrapping up any brown bits clinging to the skillet, and pour the wine mixture form one skillet into the other. Boil the wine mixture until it is reduced to a glaze, remove the skillet from the heat, and whisk in the remaining 8 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, adding each new piece just before the previous one has melted completely. Whisk in the scallion green and salt and black pepper to taste. Divide the red-cabbage confit among 8 dinner plates, arrange a venison steak over each serving, and spoon some of the sauce over each steak. 

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