Jay Yoo

Last night I made a particularly good (because my wife said so) lobster dinner at a very reasonable price.  I did not plan on making lobster this weekend, but a local grocery store has a one day 1/2 off sale on all seafood, and 32 oz. of lobster claws for $17 was just too good a deal to pass up.

One of the problems I run into being a scratch cook is that my creations do not always come out good on the first try; letting 32 oz. of choice lobster claws was not something I necessarily wanted to waste (over cooking) and I did not want to get sick (undercooking).

To grill, steam, or bake? I read up on several recipes and decided to take kind of a hybrid approach.  Having cooked the juiciest and most flavor chicken on many occasions, I decided to use the same process and broke out my trusted Anthony Stoneware Chicken Cooker featured about.  It works like a charm by “gently cooking all foods in their own juices.”

Again, the timing was important and I did not want to overcook the lobster.  Here is how I did it:

1. Ingredients: 32 oz. of fully thawed lobster claws (fits perfectly in the Chicken Cooker), 1 tbsp. of Tarragon, 1.5 tbsp. of salt, 1 tsp. of cracked pepper, 1 tsp. of garlic powder, 1.5 cups of good chardonnay ($12 bottle), 2 tbsp. of butter, 1/2 a lemon (cut in 1/8).
2. Preheat oven to 375F.
3. Add all ingredients except the lobster to the bottom of the cooker.
4. Add the lobster claws.
5. Bake for 15 minutes.
6. Open the cooker (be careful!) and turn the lobster claws so the ones on the top get some juice.  Use cooking tongs (my favorite kitchen utensil).
7. Bake for 7 more minutes.
8. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes.  Turn the claws to make sure the claws get drenches with the extra yummy juices.
9. Melt half a stick of butter and add 3 tbsp. of the juices from the cooker and 1 tsp. of tarragon.
10. Cut the other 1/2 lemon into 1/8 to use on the lobster claw meat.
11. Put lobster claw and juices in a stainless steel mixing bowl for a cantina effect.

Serve with organic squash (1.99/lb.) cooked in lobster claw juices, Alexia All Natural Panko Onion Rings (3.50 a bag), and the same chardonnay you cooked with.  I used Sterling’s Central Coast 2007 Vinter’s Collection (on sale for $9.99).

Total cost $32.50.

Again, the trick was using the Anthony Stoneware Chicken Cooker.  A scratch cook must have ;-)

Jay