This is one dish you will make and re-make for years to come. It is truly a yummy, comfort food to make. Let’s get started.
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 4 slices hearty sourdough bread, roughly torn
- 4 tbsp. chilled butter, divided
- 1 cup grated aged white cheddar
- 1 3/4 cup macaroni
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 2 cups whole milk (or 1 1/4 whole milk, 3/4 cup whipping cream)
- 1/2 cup Havarti cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup McLarens cheese
- 1 cup Monteray Jack cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1 tsp. dry mustard
- pinch of cayenne
- pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 5 oz. cooked lobster meat
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter 6 individual baking dishes or a 2 qt. casserole dish and set aside. Lower oven to 350 degrees.
Toss 1 1/2 cups of the diced squash and oil together and spread out in an oven proof dish large enough to hold the cubes in a single layer. Bake for 18-22 minutes until tender but still firm.
Combine the torn bread with 2 tbsp. of diced butter in a processor and spin until coarse crumbs. Place in a bowl, stir in the aged cheddar and set aside.
Cook the macaroni until about halfway tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
Melt the remaining butter in a large saucepan, add the flour and whisk until well combined. slowly add the milk/cream whisking the whole time until it becomes thickened. Stir in the cheeses, mustard, cayenne and nutmeg. Fold in the macaroni, baked squash and gently heat through.
Spoon into the baking dishes and sprinkle the crumb mixture over and bake for about 20-30 minutes until golden and bubbling in a 350 degree oven.
Serve with a crisp salad and a glass of, perhaps, a Chardonnay. Ummm… better yet a Pinot Gris.
A Very British Shrimp/Lobster Pie
We are always looking for something different to showcase when company comes. This is a really neat one because you make individual pies (easier than it sounds) and everyone think you are a wizard.
- 2 1/2 lbs. trout
- 1 1/2 lbs. medium size shrimp
- 1 – 2 lb. lobster tail
- 6 scallops, halved
- 2 cups celery, ribs removed, chopped
- 1 1/4 cups white wine (sip for the cook)
- 2 bay leaves, crumbled
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cups sliced white mushrooms
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 3./4 tsp. ground pepper
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1-2 pkgs. puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg yolk for brushing
- Cut the trout into 1 inch cubes, reserving the skin, bones and trimmings. Peel and clean the shrimp, reserving shells, slide skewer through length of lobster in shell and set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring 3/4 cup of water, fish skin, shells and bones, shrimp shells, celery, wine and bay leaves to a boil. Strain liquid through a sieve into a clean saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and lobster, reduce heat, cover and simmer until shrimp turn pink (about 2 minutes). Using a slotted spoon remove the shrimp and continue cooking the lobster another 2 minutes.
Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and now remove the lobster from the shell, remove from the shell and cut into bite size pieces and add to the shrimp.
Return liquid to a boil, add the trout and simmer until the fish flakes when tested with a fork. This should take about 4 minutes, Using a slotted spoon, remove and transfer to the seafood bowl.
Pour the liquid into a measuring cup, adding water to make 2 1/4 cups.
In a saucepan melt the butter over a medium heat, add the onions and mushrooms, cooking until softened (6 minutes). Stir in the flour, ginger, salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook for one minute. Gradually whisk in the liquid, cooking until boiling and becomes thickened and slightly reduced – 6-8 minutes. Stir in the whipping cream and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the parsley and thyme.
Brush the bottom and sides of 8 – 1 1/2 cup ramekins with butter. Evenly spoon the seafood into each one and top with the sauce to cover.
Roll out the puff pastry, cutting to fit each ramekin. Beat the egg yolk with a tsp. of water and brush over the puff pastry. Cut a slit in the top of each one. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the ramekins on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 – 30 minutes until golden.
Plate and place a lemon wedge on side. Add a salad and warm roll.
What more could you ask for? Well, okay…. glass of chilled white wine would make this more than perfect.
Tomato Bisque With Roasted Lobster
There are bisques and then there is this one….if you don ‘t have/want lobster, try it with scallops. Just as yummy!
- 2- 8 oz. lobster tails
- 2 tsp. butter
- Bisque
- 8 sun dried tomatoes
- 4 cups of chicken broth (turkey broth if you have it)
- 12 medium very ripe plum tomatoes
- 2 large red bell peppers
- 2 shallots
- 1 garlic clove, unpeeled,
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne
- 3 tbsp. dry sherry
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
- Warm Baguette
Lobster
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a pair of scissors, cut the lobster tails along the back almost to the tail; turn over and cut along each side to prevent the tail from curling.
Place back side up (single cut) on a parchment lined baking sheet. Force the sides together so the meat protrudes from the shells. Dot with butter and roast for about 15 minutes or until the shell is red and the center of the lobster is hot and not grayish in colour. Cool, then remove the shells. Coarsely chop and set aside.
Bisque
Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with Pam spray and cut the sun dried tomatoes into strips and soak in the stock while the vegetables are roasting. Core the unpeeled tomatoes, seed and cut in half. Cut the peppers in half, core and seed. Peel and cut the shallots in half. Place them cut-side down on the baking sheet. Place the garlic in the middle of the pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast, uncovered for about 30 minutes until the tomatoes are lightly browned and very soft. Remove the peels from the vegetables and discard.
Puree the vegetables and sun dried tomatoes with stock in a blender. Whirl in the salt, cayenne and sherry. Add more stock if needed to acquire the correct texture. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Pour soup in a large saucepan, stir in the cream. Heat over low heat until very hot, but NOT boiling. Divide the lobster into warmed soup bowls, ladle in the hot soup and garnish with the parsley. Serve with warm buttered baguette slices.
What did I tell you? THE best there is…..serve with a chilled White wine (not heavy like a Chardonnay) and you will hear the angels singing for sure.
Gourmet Lobster Stir Fry
This is one heck of a stir fry, to say the least. Most of the ingredients are already in your kitchen; the small lobster can be purchased in any grocery store. You should consider using noodles as your base when serving.
This will serve 4 (if really hungry) or 6 normal portions.
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. oyster sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- pinch of salt
- 2 tsp. sugar
- pinch of WHITE pepper
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 2 1/2 lb. lobster, cleaned, cut lengthwise in the shell and cut in 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 tbsp. Crisco oil
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp. dried chili flakes
- 1 tbsp. chili paste
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 small jalapeno chili, seeded and minced
- 2 tbsp. fermented black beans, rinsed and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp. dry sherry
- cooked noodles – optional
Marinade
Combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken broth, salt, sugar, pepper, sesame oil and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Mix together to completely blend. Add the lobster and toss well and let rest for 30 minutes. Stir once in awhile. Remove the lobster and set aside. Reserve the marinade and set aside.
Preparation
Heat a large flat-bottomed wok over high heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and coat the wok. When really hot, add the garlic, ginger, chili flakes, chili paste, onion and jalapeno. Stir quickly so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the black beans and stir fry for 30 seconds. When the garlic just starts to turn brown, lay a layer of the lobster pieces across the bottom of the wok. When the shells turn colour, turn them over . Add the sherry and mix well. When the lobster meat becomes opaque, add the reserved marinade. Mix well and transfer to a warm platter. Serve immediately over a plate of noodles. (Just a suggestion).
A glass of Gewurztraminer would go really well with the lobster.
Gena and Don’s Seafood Paella
A few years ago, our friend Gena was out for a visit and, after pouring her a glass or two of white wine, the two of them started to invent. This is basically what transpired. Me? I set the table and watched and just listened to these two. Believe me, this was an education. More laughter than a comedy club.
- 3 tbsp. Spanish olive oil
- 1/2 – 3/4 lb. raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 1/2 tsp. sweet Spanish smoked paprika
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 4 oz. Spanish chorizo, sliced into 1/4 inch half moons
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 can diced tomatoes with juice
- 2 tbsp. minced garlic
- pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 3 cups of fish or chicken stock
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 pound manila clams, well washed and purged
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 lb. mussels, well scrubbed and debearded
- 3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 2 lobster tails, quartered
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Set a 14 inch paella pan over medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season shrimp with 2 teaspoons paprika and pinch of salt. Once oil is hot, sear shrimp, about 1 minute per side. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the remaining oil and chorizo to pan and sear, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is nicely browned (1 – 3 minutes).
Add onion, garlic and saffron to pan and saute, stirring often, until lightly carmelized – 6 – 7 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Season with the remaining salt and paprika. Add stock to the pan, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer and cook, without stirring, until the rice is no longer soupy but some liquid still remains. Give the rice a stir to loosen and add the clams with their opening edges facing up. Reduce to low heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add the peas, mussels (again, facing up) and shrimp to the pan and continue and stir if using lobster tails.
Transfer pan to the oven and cook until the clams and muassels have opened and most of the liquid has been absorbed, and the rice is almost cooked through (10 minutes). Remove from the oven, cover and let stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve with the garnished parsley.
Oh yeah, be sure to have more wine in the cooler. Now, where did I put my glass? Gena, did you take it?
Lobster Newburg
Not much seems like summer’s here except when serving lobster. I had this for the first time when I was about 20 years old and fell in love with lobster prepared almost any way.
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 tbsp. flour
- pinch of salt
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
- 2 cups coarsely chopped boiled lobster
- 2 tbsp. sherry
- cooked fettucine noodles (enough for 4 servings)
Melt butter in the top of a double boiler, over direct heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the flour to make a smooth mixture. Add the salt, nutmeg and paprika.
Gradually whisk in the cream and bring to the boil; reduce the heat and simmer, whisking, 3 minutes longer.
Now add a little bit of the hot mixture to the egg mixture and pour all of it back into the double boiler. Add the lobster and cook, over hot water until the mixture has thickened and the lobster is hot (about 8-10 minutes). Do not boil.
Stir in the sherry and serve over cooked and buttered noodles. I know everyone serves this over rice, but come on – try it with noodles and you will melt.
All that is needed with this dinner is a crisp, chilled salad and a glass of a chilled, crisp Pinot Gris…..did I say glass? I really meant bottle. sorry!
Yummy!
Best Of The Very Best Seafood In WhiteWine
These are three of ‘best of the best’ seafood (for me, that is) and are exquisite done up this way. Also, this will serve 12.
- 4 x 8 oz. frozen lobster tails
- 2 lbs. raw shrimp, shelled and cleaned
- 2 pkg. frozen king crab, thawed and drained
- 10 tbsp. butter
- 2/3 cup flour
- generous pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp. paprika (for colour)
- pinch of white pepper
- 3 – 3 1/2 cups of half and half cream
- 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups white wine
In a large pot, bring 2 1/2 quarts of water to the boil. Add the lobster tails and return to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon lift out the tails and set aside until able to handle.
Return water to the boil and add the shrimp, return to the boil and reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes (until tender) remove and drain.
Drain the crabmeat, remove any cartilage and leave the pieces as big as possible. Remove the meat from the lobster tails, and cut into bite size pieces.
In a Dutch oven, melt the butter and remove from the heat. Stir in the flour, salt, paprika and pepper, stirring until smooth. Gradually stir in about 3 cups of the half and half, mixing until completely smooth.
Bring to a boil stirring constantly then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add the wine, again stirring until well combined. Add the seafood, stirring gently to mix and cook over low heat until heated through. DO NOT BOIL.
If the sauce is too thick, add more half and half or wine OR both until the perfect consistency for you and your company.
Cook some fettucine, drain and place on 12 serving plates, add equal amounts of the seafood on each one. Add some garlic toast, chilled white wine, candles and oh my goodness….a perfect evening.
YUMMY…
Father’s Day Weekend
I always tell Don when he has this golf weekend with his boys, this is also MY weekend. Well, let’s see…..
Yesterday, I had the remote in MY hand and I could watch whatever I wanted to….okay, who can find anything but re-runs? That’s okay, they were good the first time. Oh yeah, I rearranged the patio furniture, changing the kitchen area and then the seating/conversation side (reversed them actually).
Day 2…bake for Don’s special dinner and make the special muffins Maurice said he really liked (back Sunday morning), do the laundry, plan the dinner, wrap his present, set the table and try to catch a few friends to have a girl-chat…okay,so it’s Saturday and no one is home. Scratch that idea.
Dinner is going to be:
- 8 oz. Filet Mignon with Bernaise sauce,
- Lobster tail with an Orange-Tarragon sauce,
- mashed sweet potato,
- fresh baked buns,
- baked asparagus,
- individual strawberry/blueberry shortcake. WHEW!
I also volunteered a couple of hours at the Arena for the racers picking up their packages for two races tomorrow. We must be the race town for all of B.C. Last month it was the Half Ironman and in August the Ironman race comes through here.
As a Father/Step-dad and Husband, he is the best so with each sinful bite. we will talk about all the fun he had…yup he’s worth it.
Okay, now where is the wine?…..later.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY