Monday, September 8, 2008

LOBSTA


I don’t eat much lobster, not because I don’t want to, but because I like it super fresh, right from the ocean. So I wait. I wait all year if I have to. Rhode Island is where you go to claim the lobster prize. It doesn’t hurt, that are next door neighbor introduced us to a secret lobsterman. Very undercover. We call him up, request some lobsters, go down to his house, which is on the breach way, and collect freshly caught sea crustaceans. A little transaction goes on, and we receive the booty, in this case, my lobsters.
I love my lobsters done simply, no fuss. I want to eat lobster, not stuffing, not overly rich sauces (even though that is nice), just the wonderfully tender sea flavored meat. So, my cousin (the chef), takes a bucket of sea water (from the ocean one I just swam in) with some sea weed, puts it in a large pot, over a wood burning fire and cooks the lobsters to perfection. (Before this happened, my little cousin fretted over the lobsters, a common reaction when looking at these sea monsters…see picture.)
They came out delicious, tender, with a sea flavor. All you need is a little drawn butter and some good hands (so you can search and dig for all that meat). I spend a really long time eating lobster; no crevice or part goes untouched. I suck each leg, dissect the body, crack each claw, and savor the tail. (Maybe that was too much detail.) If there is any lobster left over (which is hardly any, not from me at least, some family members aren’t as patient and determined to get all the meat), lobster salad is essential. But this time I made a lobster salad that was different from the traditional. A combination of thinly sliced fennel, corn and tarragon is the perfect complement to the succulent meat. Just chop up your lobster, thinly slice fennel, shave the corn off a cooked cob, and add some chopped tarragon. Simply dress with red wine vinaigrette and you get one amazing lobster salad. ENJOY!!!

12 comments:

Jessica@Foodmayhem said...

Yum! I like lobsters without all that stuff too, just plain lobster! I've never been to Rhode Island but you're making me want to go.

Anonymous said...

I thoroughly enjoyed your spirited description of your lobster adventure. While not a big fan of those critters your article was written in a manner that at least made their demise less traumatic. Keep up the great narrative. Your writing and commentary are bright and refreshing.

Helene said...

That little girl's expression is priceless!! We feel the same way here when it is shrimp or oysters. No fuss,boiled or steamed and a cold beer!

Dee said...

I love lobsters. I wish I had a secret lobsterman :( I'm not sure I could cook them though - another one of my cooking fears.

Vera said...

What an enjoyable story! And mouthwatering pictures! I'm definitely making this salad but I doubt I'll be able to get lobster that fresh :) Thank you for the recipe.

Emily said...

I love the picture of your cousin! That's hilarious.

I love lobster! I don't ever get to eat it though.

Cannelle Et Vanille said...

oh that sounds good... "lobsta"!

Anonymous said...

Yum. I wish I lived in Rhode Island. I miss the ocean all the time.

michael, claudia and sierra said...

i really do love lobster. and i like it super plain. just some butter - or prepared as a lobster roll. my mom eats a lonbster the way that you just described... funny.

the tarragon addition with corn and fennel sounds really good - worth a try if only i lived in new england.

Lori Lynn said...

Little Cousin is so cute!
Me too, I love the lobsta. I think your salad is perfect, great complements with fennel, corn and tarragon.

Natalie Que said...

Oh my, I am so JEALOUS of your Lobster Man hook-up. I need a secret lobster man! And your cousin is precious!

This looks so great, I love the stuff.

Anonymous said...

Lobster and Rhode Island it does not get any better than that!

Thanks for sharing.