I mostly make lobster rolls and lobster salad at home.
I order Lobster in Maggi sauce from Chinese restaurants.
What are your favourite preparations?
It is getting colder here in southern Ontario, so I’m thinking of new ways to serve it warm. I haven’t attempted a Thermidor yet. Intrigued when I’ve seen lobster pot pie on a menu. Might make a lobster pot pie tonight.
Live lobster just freshly cooked and served with fresh mayonaise. Or in a pasta sauce with fresh tomatoes. Other than that, indeed I like lobster rolls…
I agree, simple is best (but I need lemon too) and I always order excess lobsters to make lobster rolls the next day. Whenever I order lobster with fancy preps or accoutrements I don’t enjoy them more (and often the other ingredients distract) than what I can make at home. Even the butter poached lobster at the French Laundry I thought, yeah this is a little better than my home steamed lobster, but just a little.
I’m with you. You know what goes great with lobster? More lobster. And the whole don’t bother with the big ones they are too tough…im calling bullshit there…just don’t overcook em. i think the claws on the bigger ones is where it’s at.
Also, it’s so dramatically overpriced at restaurants…i shudder to think what a $60 4lb lobster (lobsters online) would cost at restaurants around here even if they had them…I’m guessing $250-$300 plus tax/tip.
Preach!! I worked the steamer station at a seafood restaurant in my youth and have cooked hundreds of lobsters and if I see a deal on 4-6 pounders today I always buy them and don’t find them any tougher than small ones.
The delivery fees are modest especially when getting a lot
Where do you get your 4-6 pounders?
Sometimes we grill them but I’ve found steaming more successful for juicy lobsters, not sticking to the inside of the shells, and also being able to use the shells for bisque if we feel like it…sometimes it’s just let’s get this stink out of the house and put the leftover meat in ziplocks which doesn’t last long…
oh, on a toasted bagel with cream cheese (scallion cream cheese, jalapeno cream cheese)/lemon is always a good move too!
not sure if you ever have access but if you’re up in ME or back east, buying the culls and bullets (one claw, no claws) is a hell of a deal.
I get them from this place, right now they have a special of $9.95/lb for 1 pounders, $12.95 for 6 plus pounders. Sometimes deals on the larger ones and sometime deals on the smaller ones. They have massive tanks in a warehouse in back and do wholesale, so the lobsters are always super fresh and lively. https://newenglandlobster.net/market/
Some of you enjoy lobster way more than I do. Don’t think I have ever ordered (or cooked) a steamed/poached lobster with noting but drawn butter.
But AKC legs (only with drawn butter), steamed clams (with broth and drawn butter), and abalone with a bare bones almondine prep (which I don’t do anymore due to extinction issues - and now do calamari steaks) are/were the best of the best. Shrimp is also good just poached with a great cocktail/louie sauce, but usually enjoy them more with a coating and/or sauce.
For me, newburg on crostini is way better than a lobster roll. Plus it’s tops over asparagus, as well as many rice preps (and if you’re really adventuresome, a newburg risotto).
Newberg is really old school been a while, but ive enjoyed that.
if I’m gonna eat it out somewhere i think i prefer going to a chinese (chinese/vietnamese) restaurant, ie Newport Tan Cang in Santa Ana or in the SGV. Seems you get more bang for your buck.
It’s the house special lobster that is sorta similar at a bunch of spots including at least three calling themselves newport tan cang (or some variation)…stir fried with chili, garlic etc and the roe too which really comes out great. I like asking for it to be served over noodles so you can enjoy all the juice and little bits. I like the Santa Ana location best but it’s a hike so if I’m down that way I try to hit them up.
for me, the crab is way too much work compared to the lobster so i skip that but the salt and pepper fried squid is great, steamed fish, and then you can get your snowpea shoots and beef loc lac and call it a pretty great dinner.
yeah it’s easy not to eat too…comes in big fried up clumps…im usually the guy at my table eating that! you can specify if you don’t want it when you order.
Once a year in the summer, when the prices are lower even though lobster is very highly priced now Boston area, we go to our corner pub and get the twin lobster special. Last time a couple of weeks ago, it was about $17. We eat most of it at the pub and bring home the carcasses to make lobster stock. Use it in the fall and winter to make risotto, fish soups and stews, etc.
