How to Prepare Lobster for The Holidays

If there is one dish I truly love it is lobster. When I was growing up, Surf and Turf was a favorite holiday meal and always a real treat. And since the holidays are upon us, I thought I would try my hand at making lobster…but not just any lobster dish. Lobster quesadillas make great appetizers and are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

You’ll be happy to hear that cooking a lobster is not as challenging as it might seem. By following a few simple steps, your lobster can taste as good as those served in restaurants.

Ingredients
* Defrosted lobster tail (you can cook it frozen, but it will take longer)
* Butter
* Salt
* Garlic Powder
* Lemon

I chose to broil my lobster in the oven, but you could grill or boil it if you prefer. Before preparing your lobster, preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Next, melt butter and add salt, lemon, and garlic powder to your liking in a small bowl.

To Prepare the Lobster:

1. Cut the back of the lobster shell down the right and left side all the way to the bottom. Once at the bottom, cut across and remove that part the shell.

2. Rinse the lobster to remove any remaining shell fragments.

3. Once the lobster is dry, drizzle the melted butter, salt, lemon, and garlic powder onto the lobster meat. *Make sure you have enough liquid on the lobster to prevent it from drying out, and re-apply as needed.

4. Depending on the size of your lobster (and whether it was frozen), it will need about one minute of cooking per ounce. My lobster tail was small (about 4 ounces), but it was not completely defrosted and took about 10 minutes to cook. Keep an eye on your lobster and check the internal temperature regularly. Once it reaches 145 degrees it is done. Be careful not to over-cook the lobster or it will become rubbery.

I added the melted butter, garlic powder, lemon, and salt mixture every time I checked the lobster. It helped keep it moist and gave it flavor. After your lobster is cooked, you can serve it as Surf and Turf or you can make quesadillas.

To Make Lobster Quesadillas:

I posted my chicken quesadillas recipe on the blog in March 2014, but for a refresher, here is what you will need.

Ingredients
* Flour tortilla (make sure it is large enough to stuff and fold in half)
* Cooked Lobster
* Shredded Cheese
* Scallions (optional)

What I enjoy about quesadillas is that you can add any ingredients you like and make the dish your own. At Del Fuego, one of my favorite Mexican restaurants on Long Island, they make their lobster quesadillas with local corn and Chipotle-honey butter.

1. In a large pan, add a drop of oil and lightly warm both sides of the tortilla. I start off on high heat and keep it at a medium level once the tortilla is in the pan. A minute on both sides should be all you need.

2. Next, add your lobster, cheese and vegetables to one side of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half and gently flip to cook the other side. I usually cook it about 3 minutes per side or until the cheese melts.

3. Once the tortilla is golden brown on both sides it is ready to serve and enjoy!

So, if you find yourself needing an appetizer or even a main dish for your holiday party, you can’t go wrong with either the Surf and Turf option or lobster quesadillas!