3752. LOBSTER TAIL with BACON-WRAPPED ASPARAGUS

makes two servings

6 bacon slices

6 asparagus spears, bottom 2"- 2 1/2" cut off

3 tbsp. butter, divided

2 tsp. minced shallot

1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. flour

1/8 scant tsp. salt

1/3 cup chicken broth

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

water for steaming lobster

salt for salting water

2 (16-20 oz.) colossal lobster tails with shell on, defrosted if frozen

Note: If you are using smaller (around 8 oz.) tails, use four and increase bacon and asparagus to 8 each. Each tail will be served with two bacon-wrapped asparagus spears.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place bacon on a baking sheet and cook for 7 to 8 minutes to par-cook. Remove and discard fat and juices. Cool slightly. Wrap1 bacon around each asparagus starting at the bottom of the spear head. Prep a baking sheet with cooking spray and bake for 18-20 minutes or until bacon is brown and cooked through.

While asparagus spears bake, make the butter sauce. Preheat a small saucepan on medium to medium low. Add 1 tablespoon butter and melt. Add shallot and garlic cooking about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Stir in flour, whisking for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium to medium high and add chicken broth, lemon juice, and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium, stirring constantly until thicken slightly. Turn off heat and remove pan. Cut the remaining butter into 4 chunks. Add one at a time, stirring to melt butter before adding the next chunk. The pan may be placed back on the stovetop with heat off if the butter melts too slowly. Keep warm when done.

Bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in a large stock pot. Add about 2 tablespoon of salt for every 1 quart of water used. Place a metal steaming rack into pot, making sure the top of the rack is above water level. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut the top of the shell, starting at the front of the shell an cutting towards the back, stopping before the tail. Evenly space two 2 long wooden skewers through the lobster meat, from the front towards the back to prevent lobster tails from curling as they cook. Make sure water is fully boiling, and place tails on rack. Cover and steam for 10-12 minutes. For smaller tails reduce cooking time and cook roughly 1 minute per ounce of lobster. Lobster is done when white, not translucent, throughout. Remove from pan.

To serve, separate lobster meat from the shell by spreading shell open with hands without completely splitting it in half. Run fingers or a dull butter knife between the meat and shell to separate it. Lift lobster out of shell. Make a slice down the back to butterfly the tail meat and remove the dark vein. Top with 3 asparagus spears (two for smaller tails) and drizzle with lemon butter sauce. Serve with potatoes—baked or mashed, and/or a salad.

bacon recipe source: Thao, In Good Flavor, January 26, 2015

3191. BROWN BUTTER LOBSTER with BACON and CRISPY KALE, and FONTINA PASTA

makes four servings


4 slices thick cut bacon
4 (4-8 ounce) lobster tails
6 tablespoon butter, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 bunch kale, leaves torn away from the stem
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound angel pasta
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
6-7 ounces fontina cheese, cubed

1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley or both, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, add kale, olive oil, parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat with your hands and massage kale for about 1 minute. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, tossing 1-2 times while cooking, until crispy. Remove and set aside.

Bring pasta water to a boil and prepare pasta according to directions.

While the kale is cooking and the water comes to a boil start working on the bacon. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon from pan and set aside on paper towels to drain. Once cooled, crumble. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.

To prepare the lobster, lay the lobster tails flat on a cutting board with the shell side facing upward. Using a very sharp, large knife, cut the tail in half lengthwise and slice all the way through the shell. Season the meat side lightly with salt and pepper.

Bring the skillet used for bacon back to medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add 1 tablespoon butter and swirl to coat. Place the lobster tails meat-side down in the pan and sear for 5 minutes or until the shells turn bright red. Remove tails from the pan and set aside.

To the same skillet add another tablespoon of butter. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, add the pasta, crushed red pepper, cayenne and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss well and cook for 2 minutes, just until the pasta is hot. Once the pasta is hot add the tomatoes and cubed fontina cheese. Then remove the pasta from the heat, drizzle with lemon juice and toss well. Add in the crispy kale.

In a separate small skillet melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat until just browned. Butter will melt, foam and froth, then begin to brown along the bottom. Whisk browned bits off of the bottom of the pan.

Pop the lobster meat out of the shells and divide the pasta among plates or bowls. Top each plate with lobster meat and a sprinkle of chopped basil. Drizzle with browned butter and top with the crumbled bacon.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Tieghan, Half Baked Harvest, September 4, 2013

2926. LOBSTER, BACON and CHORIZO TACO

yields one serving 


4 ounces bacon, small dice
3 ounces chorizo, small dice
2 tablespoons small-diced white onion
1 pound lobster tail meat, chopped
2 tablespoons shredded cheddar
2 tablespoons salsa
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
corn tortillas, for serving, warmed

In a large nonstick pan over medium-low heat, saute the bacon and chorizo until the fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Add the onions and saute until soft, about1 minute. Bring the heat up to medium and add the lobster meat. Cook until the lobster is cooked all the way through , an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cheese, salsa and cilantro. Toss to form a gooey mess. Season with the salt and pepper. Serve inside tortillas and garnish with anything your heart desires.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bull Taco; "San Diego," Hook, Line & Dinner, Cooking Channel, 2011

2484. CREAMY CORN SOUP with BACON, BUTTER POACHED LOBSTER and CHIVE OIL

serves six


8 ears corn
4 slices thick cut bacon
2 tablespoons ubsalted butter
1 medium onion, preferably sweet such as maui, vidalia or walla walla, diced
1 large shallot, diced
8 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 sprigs sage
6 cups chicken stock
1 lb yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to tatse
1 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 butter poached lobster tails, coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons chive oil

Cut all the kernels from the cobs. Discard all but 2 of the cobs. Cut the remaining cobs in half crosswise.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon slices in a single layer and cook until they have rendered their fat, but not yet browned. Add the butter, onions and shallots to the pot, increasing the temperature to medium-high. Sweat the onions and shallots with the bacon, stirring occasionally until they are translucent, about 5 minutes.

Using kitchen twine tie the thyme, parsley and sage sprigs together in a bundle adding them to the pot. Add the chicken stock, potatoes, and the corn cob pieces. Season generously with salt and white pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer and cook the mixture until the potatoes soften, about 20 minutes.

Add the cream and the corn kernels, stirring to combine. Simmer about 5 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and discard the bacon, herb bundle and corncobs. Then, using an immersion blender, blend the soup until completely pureed. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Pass the soup through a fine meshed sieve into a sauce pan. It should be velvety, but not too thick. Adjust with a little water or more chicken stock if needed. Gently reheat the soup.

To serve: Divide the soup evenly between 6 soup bowls. Mound some of the butter poached lobster on top and drizzle each one with about 1 tablespoon chive oil. Serve warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Greg Henry, Sippity Sup, June 22, 2010

2413. WHOLE WHEAT PENNE with LOBSTER and BACON

yields 4 to 6 servings


Kosher salt
Two 4-ounce lobster tails
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
1 pound thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips (about 2 1/2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
One 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup clam juice
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lobster tails and cook until they begin to curl, 5 to 7 minutes. Using tongs, remove the lobster tails and set aside until cool enough to handle. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and place in a large serving bowl.

Using kitchen scissors or a heavy knife, cut along the underside of the lobster tails and remove the meat. Chop the meat into 3/4-inch chunks. Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.

In the same skillet, add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes (and juices), clam juice, cream, 1/2 cup basil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the lobster and bacon. Simmer until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour the tomato mixture over the cooked pasta and toss until coated. Garnish with the remaining 1/2 cup basil and season with salt and pepper.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Giada De Laurentiis, "Surf and Turf," Giada at Home, Food Network

1042. POACHED EGG with LOBSTER, SPINACH, BACON and HOLLANDAISE SAUCE on TOASTED CHALLAH BREAD

serves: 4-5


1 egg yolk
2 oz Pinot Grigio vinegar, reduced by 1/4 and cooled
Sea salt
3/4 lbs salted butter, clarified
1 large lobster tail (New Zealand or Florida)
1 thick slice challah bread, cut with large ring mold
Butter for toasting
Oil for toasting
1 cup picked baby spinach
1 cup picked mache
10 slices of bacon
1 whole poached egg
4 white peppercorns
1/4 cup chopped chives
Black pepper

Hollandaise: In food processor, add egg yolk and reduction. Add salt to taste then slowly drizzle clarified butter until thick. Loosen with warm water if needed. Set aside at room temperature.

Lobster and Greens: Season lobster tails and grill on both sides. Remove from shell and slice lengthwise into half-inch thick slices. In pan, toast challah with butter and oil until golden. Lightly sauté spinach and mache. Season and set aside.

Bacon: Lay bacon flat on baking mat. Overlapping, place sheet pan on top; weigh down with ovenproof item. Bake at 375 degrees until crispy. Allow to cool. To fit challah, punch out bacon with ring mold. Cut one long strip or triangle for garnish.

To plate: Using mold, fill bacon over toast adding one layer of lobster then greens. Make small hole in center of greens to place warm poached egg. Top with hollandaise, peppercorns, chives and pepper. Lay bacon strip (or triangle) on top.


courtesy of: Lisa Fernandes, Top Chef, Season 4