July 24, 2006
Love That Lobster!
Floridians and visitors alike have an ongoing love affair with Florida’s spiny lobster. Nothing says “Florida vacation” like a steaming, crab-stuffed, broiled Florida spiny lobster served with a baked potato, sweet coleslaw and a slice of tangy key lime pie. This seafood delicacy recalls memories of a sumptuous “loosen-the-belt” dinner after a lazy day in the sun and surf, those long-awaited Florida vacation days, or maybe a memorable romantic dinner on a special occasion. That first bite of sweet and succulent lobster meat dripping with melted butter is a taste memory that lingers and is never quite forgotten.
“Florida’s spiny lobster is one of Florida’s signature seafoods and any lobster lover’s favorite,” Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson said.
Florida’s spiny lobster is caught off the Florida Keys and around the southern tip of Florida from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The lobster season opens this year on August 6 and ends March 31, 2007. Unlike the northeast lobster, the spiny lobster does not have claws and is characterized by the numerous spines on its body and two large hooked horns over the eyes. The shell on the body and tail has a mottled coloring of yellow, brown, orange or blue that turns a bright red-orange color when the lobster is cooked.
Available as whole lobster, lobster tails, split tails and lobster meat, spiny lobster is sold fresh, frozen, and raw or cooked. Raw lobster, referred to as “green” lobster, can be boiled, steamed, grilled, deep-fried or broiled. The meat can be removed from the shell and used in a variety of recipes. When purchasing whole raw lobsters or the tails, the flesh should be firm with a clean sea breeze smell and the shell should be free of black spots. aw or cooked spiny lobster meat can be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator at 32 degrees F for up to two days.
Frozen spiny lobster will keep in the freezer at 0 degrees F for up to six months. It is an industry practice to package frozen lobster in plastic bags. This practice is to protect the product from dehydration and freezer burn. Another protective method is to apply a thin coat of ice over the frozen lobster. This thin coat of ice is referred to as "glaze." When the thin coat of ice is excessive and you are charged lobster price for the ice, it becomes mislabeling. The net weight listed on the box must be the weight of the product.
For example, if the net weight of the package is 10 pounds, then the "unglazed" weight of the product must be 10 pounds. For weighing purposes, the product should be rinsed only long enough to remove the glaze. It should also be noted that many seafood products including Florida lobster continue to lose weight after thawing; therefore most seafood should be cooked as soon as possible after thawing. Thaw frozen lobster it in the refrigerator or under cold running water.
Cooked lobster tails and meat should also have a mild ocean smell and the meat should be opaque white, plump and moist. One pound of cooked spiny lobster meat yields four servings, so figure on one to two spiny lobster tails per person.
Try Chef Mark Militello’s Grilled Spiny Lobster recipe below, or the classic Baked Stuffed Spiny Lobster for a tantalizing reminder of those sun and surf-filled days and get that Florida vacation feeling all over again.
Since opening his first restaurant, Mark’s Place, in Miami in 1988, Mark Militello has been hailed as the chef responsible for putting South Florida on the national culinary map with his original contemporary American cuisine. With a steady stream of the nation’s top awards including a James Beard Award for “Best Regional Chef,” Food and Wine magazine’s “Ten Best Chefs in America” and a Distinguished Restaurant Award from Conde Nast Traveler, Militello oversees four restaurants bearing his name, from South Beach to Palm Beach. Each restaurant prepares a daily menu based on ingredients available in the local marketplace. Try Chef Mark’s Florida lobster recipe below for a summer treat.
Chef/owner Mark Militello
Mark’s Restaurants
Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Miami Beach and West Palm Beach
www.chefmark.com/restaurants.htm
Grilled Spiny Lobster with Summer Vegetable Salad and Cognac Butter
1 tablespoon fresh Florida thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh Florida parsley, chopped
2 Florida shallots, sliced
1 tablespoon white wine
1 teaspoon Florida lime juice
1/2 scotch bonnet chile, seeded and minced
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
4 Florida spiny lobster tails, split
olive oil, as needed
salt and pepper, to taste
Combine the first 8 ingredients for the marinade in a non-reactive bowl. Pour over spiny lobster tails and allow to marinate for 4 to 8 hours.
Heat grill, charcoal, gas or (preferably) wood burning. Remove lobster tails from marinade and lightly brush with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Sear lobster tails flesh side down over hottest part of the grill for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn tails over, flesh side up, and move to a slightly cooler part of the grill to finish cooking another 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove from grill to a platter. Allow to rest 1 minute before carefully removing the shell down to the tail tip (leave tail in tact). Intertwine the two halves so they form a spiral-type shape, tail tips up. Serve with Summer Vegetable Salad and Cognac Butter.
Yield: 4 servings
Nutritional Value Per Serving (w/marinade)
Calories 385, Calories From Fat 175, Total Fat 70g, Saturated Fat 108g, Trans Fatty Acid 0, Cholesterol 146mg, Total Carbohydrates 5g, Protein 43g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.91g
Nutritional Value Per Serving (lobster without marinade)
Calories 255, Calories From Fat 126, Total Fat g, Saturated Fat 18g, Trans Fatty Acid 0, Cholesterol 146mg, Total Carbohydrates 5g, Protein 43g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.81g
Summer Vegetable Salad
1 large Florida Portobello mushroom
2 Florida red peppers, whole
2 Florida zucchini squash
2 Florida yellow crookneck squash
1 Florida eggplant
1 small Florida red onion
1/2 bunch fresh Florida basil leaves, torn into ˝ inch pieces
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
extra virgin olive oil, as needed
salt and pepper
Preheat a grill, gas or preferably wood burning. Remove stem from portobello mushroom and scrape cap clean of gills. Lightly brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill slowly over low heat until it has softened sufficiently, 5 to 10 minutes on each side. Set aside to cool.
Place the red peppers over a very hot section of grill and char on all sides. Remove from grill and place in a paper bag, and close to allow to steam. After about ten minutes, the peppers should be cool enough to handle. Gently rub off the charred skin and remove the stem and seeds. Set aside the roasted flesh.
Cut off the tips and tails of the zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant. Cut the sides off about 1/2-inch thick down the length to create “filets with skin.” (This should leave the squared-off seedy centers, which will not be used for this recipe.)
Brush the “filets with skin” lightly with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes on each side over a medium-high heat. Set aside to cool.
Peel the onion and slice into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Lightly brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes on each side over a medium-high heat. Set aside to cool.
When cool enough to handle, julienne all of the vegetables at approximately 1/3 inch thick and 1-1/2 inches long and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the leaves from the bunch of basil torn into 1/2-inch pieces. Add sherry vinegar and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Stir to combine and season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
When serving with the Grilled Spiny Lobster, this salad can be gently reheated in a non-stick skillet or served at room temperature.
Yield: 4 servings
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories 81, Calories From Fat 6, Total Fat 0.68g, Saturated Fat 0.13g, Trans Fatty Acid 0, Cholesterol 0mg, Total Carbohydrates 18g, Protein 3g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.11g
Cognac Butter
3/4 cup cognac
2 Florida shallots, chopped
2 Florida thyme stems
1 bay leaf
5 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pound cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
salt and pepper, to taste
Combine first six ingredients in a stainless steel saucepot over high heat. Reduce until cognac is all but evaporated, leaving only about one tablespoon. Lower heat. Whisk in butter one piece at a time, stirring constantly. Be certain each piece of butter has dissolved before adding another. Continue until all butter has been added and melted. Pass through a fine mesh sieve. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper as necessary. Serve drizzled over grilled spiny lobster.
Yield: 1 pint
Nutritional Value Per Serving (1/4 cup)
Calories 462, Calories From Fat 401, Total Fat 45g, Saturated Fat 292g, Trans Fatty Acid 0, Cholesterol 122mg, Total Carbohydrates 2g, Protein 0.18g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.00g
Baked Stuffed Spiny Lobster (photo available)
1 pound Florida spiny lobsters, whole, fresh or frozen,
1 1/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup Florida parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons Florida green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
paprika
Thaw lobsters if frozen. Cut lobsters in half lengthwise. Rinse and clean body cavity thoroughly. Combine bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, butter and onions in a small mixing bowl. Mix well. Place stuffing in body cavity and spread over surface of the tail meat. Sprinkle with almonds and paprika. Place on 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake lobster halves in 400 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Yield: 2 servings.
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories 331, Calories From Fat 171, Total Fat 19g, Saturated Fat 12g, Trans Fatty Acid 0, Cholesterol 93mg, Total Carbohydrates 19g, Protein 19g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.81g
For more Florida seafood recipes and information on Florida seafood visit the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing, web sites at www.FL-Seafood.com and www.WildFloridaShrimp.com.
For more information:
Barbera Turnbull
(850) 488-0163
turnbub@doacs.state.fl.us
