Angry Lobster on a Bed of Nails
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
Seaweed Biscuit Dough:
1 cup bread flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 package (1/8 ounce) dry yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
5/8 cup whole milk (5 ounces)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium egg
1/8 cup nori, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
4 strands fresh seaweed (see note below)
Assembly:
2 each 1 1/2-pound live lobsters (2 1 1/2-pound lobsters = 4
portions)
2 cups Wondra flour
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons cayenne
sea salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chili oil (see note below)
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
1 tablespoon lemon zest, julienned, simmer in simple syrup, and drained
1/2 cup lobster or chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
fresh basil leaves, deep fried (for garnish)
4 lemons, (approximately 1 per person), cut into eighths
Preparation:
Seaweed Biscuits:
Place flours, yeast, sugar, and salt in the bowl of
electric mixer fitted with dough hook; beat at low speed until combined.
Bring milk and butter to a simmer in small saucepan set over medium heat;
simmer until its reaches 115 degrees F on instant-read thermometer; remove
from heat.
With the motor running at low speed, add milk mixture to flour mixture;
add egg; increase speed to medium; beat until dough is smooth and elastic.
Place dough on work surface; lightly knead 1 minute.
Break off 2 3-ounce dough balls (reserve remaining dough for another use).
Mix nori and parsley in a bowl and place on work surface. Roll each dough
ball in nori/parsley mixture; then roll each dough ball into log shape.
Cut each dough log into six 1/2-ounce biscuits; reserve.
Place seaweed on work surface. Thread 3 biscuits on each strand to
resemble a fisherman's buoy line. Place on baking sheet and reserve at room
temperature.
Assembly:
Separate knuckles and claws from each lobster
and split
knuckles and claw on band saw, reserve. Split lobster from head to tail on a
band saw. Separate body halves from tail halves. Remove brain sac from
bodies and retain tomalley and roe (if using a female) in each body half.
Heat oven to 475 degrees F.
Mix Wondra flour, chili powder, cayenne, and salt on a plate. Dredge lobster
in flour mixture, shaking off excess and reserve.
Heat oil in large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add lobster, cut side
down. Cook until it begins to color. Flip and place in oven. (Bake biscuits at
the same time with the lobster. Brush biscuits with beaten egg and bake until
lightly browned.) Cook 7 to 8 minutes. Remove both from oven. Place lobster on
a platter and reserve, keeping warm.
Set skillet used to cook lobsters over medium heat. Add garlic, red pepper
flakes, basil, and chili oil and cook 2 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes and
lemon zest and cook for an additional 1 minute. Add stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low
and
simmer 5 minutes.
Add butter; swirl skillet until butter is incorporated. Remove from heat
and
stir in lemon juice. Reserve and keep warm.
To Serve:
Set round frog (small holder with spikes used for flower
arrangements) on large plate. Impale lemon eighths around perimeter of the
frog. Impale lobster in the center of the frog. Spoon sauce over lobster. Set seaweed strand of biscuits alongside
and garnish with fried basil leaves.
Chef's Notes:
Scale-up: Can be scaled up in direct proportion.
For the seaweed, use the rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) that surrounds
shipped lobsters.
To make chili oil, gently heat 2 cups canola oil, 2 tablespoons red pepper
flakes and 2 tablespoons paprika; remove from heat; let infuse at least 4
hours; strain.
Chef/Co-Owner David Burke, David Burke & Donatella, New York
City
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