GRILLED LOBSTER TAILS WITH FORAGED FIDDLE HEAD AND LEEK RISOTTO:
This recipe represents the heart of Maine! Fresh local lobster hauled daily off the coast of Cape Elizabeth, coupled with fiddlehead greens, a delicacy unique to Northern New England, and foraged in early spring by locals. Fiddleheads are the delicate, early unfurled shoots of the ostrich fern prized by “foragers in the know” as the first green vegetable of the season in Maine. If fiddlehead season has passed, or they are unavailable, locally grown, organic asparagus is a great substitute.
This recipe uses the tail of the lobster, and our Maine Lobster Bisque uses lobster claws, so the entire lobster gets used.
Serves 4
For lobster tails:
4- 1-1/4 Maine lobsters
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
For Risotto:
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped leek, white part only
1 clove garlic, minced
1-cup fresh fiddleheads (substitute organic asparagus if fiddleheads are out of season or unavailable)
½ cup dry white wine
½ lbs Arborio rice
1 ½ quarts chicken stock, heated to a simmer
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated
Risotto:
Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté leeks until translucent then add garlic and sauté for one minute. Add rice and stir for two minutes. Add wine to pan and simmer until wine reduces and blends into rice. Add the stock in 1-cup increments, stirring constantly and adding more stock when the previous is absorbed. Continue this process until al dente (firm to the bite). Add the fiddleheads during the last five minutes of the cooking process. Blend in butter and cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Lobster:
Par cook lobsters in boiling, salted water for 5 minutes. Remove tails and split in half lengthwise with a chef’s knife. Brush with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and place on grill to mark flesh side down. Leave the tails on the grill (medium heat) until the meat is white and no longer opaque all the way through. Squeeze lemon juices over the tails and present with risotto.
MAINE LOBSTER BISQUE
Brought in fresh from the ocean daily, lobster in any form is Maine’s most famous culinary experience. Inn by the Sea’s Lobster Bisque is a popular staple at Sea Glass, with both locals and visitors to Maine.
Serves 12
3 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry sherry
2 tbsp fresh tarragon, coarsely chopped
2 quarts heavy cream
1 quart whole milk
4 lobster bodies & claw meat
6oz tomato paste
1/8 cup (2 tbsp) cornstarch
¼ cup water
In a large pot, sauté carrots, onions, celery, lobster bodies, and tarragon in a little bit of butter. Saute until onions are soft. Add dry sherry and cook 5 minutes. Add cream & milk, then add tomato paste. Let simmer for one hour. Mix together cornstarch and water, then whisk into the bisque and simmer for three minutes. Season with salt & pepper, then strain to remove solids. Place 2 ounces fresh handpicked Maine lobster meat in each soup cup. Pour hot bisque over lobster meat. Garnish with fresh tarragon and a sprig of chive.
FRESH MAINE BLUEBERY PANNA COTTA:
Visitors have not had an authentic Maine epicurean experience without
at least one serving of blueberries during their stay. Maine leads the nation in harvesting this delicate berry, rich in anti-oxidants and yet so delectable. Harvested by family farmers in the hills of Maine, this delicious fruit is the perfect light “ending” to a fresh Maine meal.
Serves 6
2 tbsp water
1 ¼ tsp unflavored gelatin
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ¼ cups plain whole milk yogurt
½ tsp vanilla extract.
½ cup sugar
¾ cup water
1-pint fresh Maine blueberries
Mash blueberries in a small sauce pan and add ¾ cup water and ½ cup sugar. Simmer over medium low heat until reduced by half and blend in the blender until smooth. Pour blueberry sauce into a measuring cup and add cream to the 2-cup mark. Place mixture in saucepan to keep warm. Pour two tbsp of water into a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand until softened (about 15 minutes.) Whisk hot blueberry-cream mixture into the gelatin mixture and then mix in the yogurt well. Divide into 6 ramekins or soup cups. Refrigerate desserts uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate overnight. For presentation flip ramekins onto a plate and serve with a raspberry puree drizzle.
