INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

>I've never cooked lobster tails at home -- I can get rock lobster TT>
tails, frozen, but I don't think I've ever seen real lobsters TT> except
for fresh (sort of) in a tank, in markets around here.
Virtually all the rock lobster that's available, except for coastal areas
where it's caught fresh, is frozen anyway, so it doesn't much matter. Once
the lobster is dead, the edible life span on the meat can be measured in
hours, so they freeze 'em immediately for shipment.
TT>  Your sources, of course, probably far exceed my sources, when it TT>
comes to lobster tails.
Unfortunately, no.  For some reason, management is more than a little
stuffy about our dragging home samples :-)  I do drag home a dying Maine
Lobster once in a while (if it looks like it's not gonna make it through
the night).  It's a mixed blessing, since the darn thing has to be cooked
immediately, and I just can't get all that worked up about lobster at 1
o'clock in the morning.
Actually, the frozen rock tails are pretty good, if they're prepped
correctly and you don't overcook 'em.  If you ever want to try, here's how:
1.  Thaw the tails overnight in the refrigerator, or quick-thaw them under
COLD running water.  At no time should the temperature of the lobster flesh
exceed 40 degrees (F).
2.  (NOTE:  the following directions are for right handed people only. Left
handers should reverse the directions).  Grasp the lobster tail in your
left hand, with the fins pointing away from you, and the open (body) end
pointing toward you. The top (rounded part) of the shell should be on top.
If you have sensitive hands, you may wish to protect your hand with a
towel, as the lobster barbs are sharp and can infect like crazy.
3.  Carefully insert the blade of a pair of kitchen shears between the
lobster meat and the uppermost shell, and make a lengthwise cut through the
shell, stopping just at the point where the shell and fins meet. Do not cut
into the fin area.
4.  Use the shears or your fingers to cut through the shell at the point
where the fins and the shell meat, so that you now have a "T- shaped" cut
in the lobster shell.
5.  Use your hands to pry the lobster out of the shell, leaving the portion
at the top (where you cut the T) still attached to the shell. (Don't be
afraid to get rough here -- the meat is pretty sturdy, and the shell is
TOUGH.)
6.  After the meat has been removed from the shell (but still attached at
the top), flip it over (it will remain attached), and make 3-4 shallow
(careful here, it's easy to get carried away and cut through everything)
cuts at about a 45 degree angle through the tough membrane on the underside
of the meat.  (This prevents the cooked tail from curling.
7.  Flip the tail over so that the meat is sitting directly over the cut
shell.
8.  Using a sharp knife and a gentle hand (again, you don't want to cut
through the meat), Cut about halfway through the center of the tail. It
should fall open.  Now make two more shallow parallel cuts on either side
of the center cut.
9.  Finally, use your thumbs to press down on the shell at the fin end
until it snaps, and fan out the fins for a pretty presentation.
10.  Brush the tail with butter, season lightly with seafood seasoning or
sweet paprika, and place it in a shallow ovenproof baking dish. (We use pie
tins).  Place about a quarter inch of water in the dish, and stick the
whole thing under the broiler until the meat JUST turns opaque. Do not
overcook or it will be tough, dry, and
From: Burton Ford                     Date: 06 Sep 96
Posted to MM-Recipes Digest V4 #097 by BobbieB1@aol.com on Apr 7, 1997

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