If you spray some truffle oil on raw, halved lobsters before you grill them ......

[Stinky The Clown]

.... the flavor is even better than grilled lobsters without it.

We celebrated Sparkly's birffday today. She usually asks me to make this tuna ragout which I serve over fresh, handmade macaroni. But this year she wanted lobsters

I dispatched Larry and Lenny with a sharp knife through the backs of their heads (very Omerta-esque.) I split them in half and cracked the claws, then patted them dry with a paper towel. I sprayed them generously with the truffle oil and grilled them. The grill was set to "Smelt Steel" and the four halves were done in just over 4 minutes - three minutes on the shell side and one minute on the cut side (so as not to lose the truffle oil baste).

The melted butter went mostly unused. They were that good.

On the side were:

Baked spuds

Grilled red peppers

Charred, Chinese green beans to which I added black sesame seeds and ginger

Mmmmm.

[Tab]

1. Interesting combo

As you know, you have to be careful - they're not as bad a calamari, but easy to overcook.

I have had at restaurants, Thomas Keller's technique for lobster (and most anything else), and I was beyond belief how they managed to cook it.

Lobster tails, specifically, in this case, but it shouldn't matter.

He makes a Buerre Monte (I posted on this a few years ago), which is just an emulsified butter, meaning you can keep its heat at 180 or whatever, and it won't break apart. The technique is wicked simple - if interested, I'll repost a summary.

Anyway, they often use it at the French Laundry for holding steak and things (they must go through a LOT of butter), because it keeps the temp without overcooking or drying, and continues to add flavor.

Cook a lobster tail from scratch but dunking it in this stuff for a few minutes, and you the most delicious lobster tail you can imagine - juicy, succulent, buttery and, most importantly, not siezed up by some idiot who cooked it improperly (not implying you, because you can certainly cook it your way correctly, but it is an easy dish to screw up).

I used to visit Maine every summer, we'd get lobsters fresh from boat to table in 20 minutes, and - godddamn - but they were good.

I love lobster.

Thanks for the tip!

[Stinky The Clown]

4. I sprayed them with the oil maybe 20 minutes before they hit the grill ......

.... and that was only because there was one other grill item ahead of them in line - the red peppers. But that seems to have made a difference. The oil sorta did a quick marination and then cooking it so it didn't drip off allowed it to coat and further infuse the meat.

The flavor was gentle, but noticeable. It didn't mask the lobster taste, it enhanced it.

I was pretty happy about it!

I bet it could work just as well on shrimps.

[eridani]

2. "Black" sesame seeds?

Presumably available mainly at Asian markets?

[Stinky The Clown]

5. I have only ever seen them in Asian markets

They're most often seen as a garnish on various sushi. If there's a difference in taste, I am unaware of it ..... it is mainly a matter of how they look on a given dish.

[Tab]

8. I have seen them on sushi. There is a taste difference.

Consider this - have some sushi but imagine the regular yellow sesame seeds instead. I can't see how it would work. The black ones seem to fit in very well, though.

They are usually specific to Indian and Asian cuisines. The black is preferred to make an oil from, and it can also be roasted (although I haven't tried that part myself) and I know at least one of the cultures use it to prepare a Black Sesame Soup.

[Warpy]

9. They have them in the bulk spice section of the local Whole Paycheck

as well as in the bulk spice section of the health food store and (of course) The Herb Store.

You can get them in wee bottles at Asian supermarkets and gourmet groceries, I think.

[hippywife]

3. A belated birthday greeting

to the Sparkly One! Sounds like you made it a fabulous evening for her, Stinks.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. Well ...... she smiled a lot.

And I got a few hugs.



And that kinda thing.

[hippywife]

7. Glad it was a special evening

for both of you.