My inspiration for this recipe came from a certain desire for a slightly-spicy lobster salad that had lots of fresh vegetables, chilled rice noodles and a light but flavorful dressing. My search for a recipe in my many cookbooks and numerous Google searches yielded nothing that was going to be just what I wanted – and so here is that certain something.  The spice doesn’t overwhelm the taste of the lobster, the lightly dressed crunchy vegetables match perfectly with the soft rice vermicelli noodles and an understated sesame flavor ties it all together to create an umami delight. 

Fresh, flavorful and my latest effort in helping the Maine lobstermen. Eat more Maine lobster – the price is down to $4.99/lb again this year and the hardworking folks on the boats need us to enjoy this crustatean in any way we enjoy – and I hope you enjoy this. Of course you can substitute an Asian or other spiny lobster in the recipe – whatever lobster you have access to.

Ingredients for Asian Lobster Noodle Salad Recipe:  (serves two, multiply as needed)

For Salad:

• 1  pound and a half  lobster, cooked, with meat removed - how to here
• 1/2 pound regular (not angel hair) rice vermicelli noodles
• 10 sno pea pods, cut into diagonal strips
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into julienne diagonal strips
• 1/2 fresh red bell pepper, cut into julienne strips
• 2 green onions (scallions) trimmed and cut into narrow diagonal pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 cup fresh mung bean sprouts (optional)

For Asian Salad Dressing:

• 6 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp. candied ginger, very finely minced
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• 2 tsp. soy sauce (if you need a gluten-free dish, check the label!)
• 2 tsp. fish sauce
• 2 tsp. white sugar
• 1 tsp. sriracha chili sauce

For Garnish:

• 1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1/2 fresh lime, cut into 4 wedges
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

 Directions for making Lobster Noodle Salad:

• Soak the rice noodles in cold water for 1 hour. Drain.
• In a medium pot of boiling water, cook  the rice noodles for 10 minutes, stirring often, or until the noodles are very tender to the bite.
• Drain the noodles, rinse in cold water and refrigerate to chill.
• Make the sauce by combining all sauce ingredients in a small pot, bring to a low simmer and cook for two minutes.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool.
• Prepare the vegetables while bringing a pot of water to the boil.
• Blanch the sno peas for 30 seconds.
• Blanch the carrots for 45 seconds, drain and allow to chill.
• Check the sauce for salty/sour/sweet/hot balance and adjust accordingly.
• Toss half the sauce with the chilled rice noodles, tossing well to coat.
• Add the prepared vegetables to the noodles and toss to combine.
• Divide the noodles and vegetables onto two plates.
• Scatter the fresh minced herbs between the two plates.
• Add the lobster meat to the top of the noodle salad (either chopped or left in large pieces.
• Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the lobster and salad.
• Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on top and garnish the plate with lime wedges.

Enjoy!

 

Note on Rice Noodles:I seem to have escaped the gluten allergy that plagues my two sisters, but in understanding the celiac sprue I have become quite familiar with rice noodles and just love them. There is some confusion about how to cook rice noodles which I believe stems from understanding the types of ‘vermacelli’ rice noodles out there.  If you have a very, very thin rice noodle (also called angel hair rice vermicelli), soaking it in cold water for 1+ hours and then not cooking is OK, but a thicker vermicelli needs the one hour soak and then  a ten minute boil to cook it to the right texture. Confusing the two will leave you frustrated so just know your noodle. If rice noodles aren’t for you substitute ramen noodles!



How to toast sesame seeds:


Put the sesame seeds in a shallow non-stick skillet and bring to temperature over medium-low heat, shaking the pan often. When the seeds begin to turn a very light brown, turn off the heat, shake the pan on the burner for another minute and they should be a nice all-over light brown color. Turn onto a dish immediately to stop cooking.  If you have extra toasted seeds, store them in the freezer.

 

I have to say that this is one of those instances when something ‘creamed’ doesn’t mean it actually has cream in it!  In fact, there is no fat in the basic soup, which makes it a delightfully light and nutritious choice for lunch or a first course.  If fat-free soups aren’t your thing, garnishing the soup can include a swirl of cream, a dollop of good extra virgin olive oil or yogurt…..that part’s up to you. My grandmother would make this soup for me often in the summer, and it’s one of the reasons I now grow zucchini in my own garden. Happily it works well if you are using frozen zucchini too, so if your zucchini squash plant is producing more than you can manage at the moment just flash freeze some cubes of it and you can make this soup anytime you’d like.

A seemingly nuclear zucchini plant in my garden this year will keep me in soup for many months……..I’m down to two plants this year but boy, have they already managed to keep me scrambling to keep up!  Needless to say there will be other zucchini recipes showing up on Timeless Gourmet as I enjoy the all-too-short New England growing season.

Ingredients for Cream of Zucchini Soup recipe: (serves 4)

• 4 cups cubed, unpeeled zucchini squash (about 1 very large zucchini)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into medium cubes
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or substitute 1 tablespoon fresh thyme)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper (plus more to taste)
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt. the amount of salt will vary accoring to how salty your chicken stock is.  If using table salt use less initially.

Directions:

• Simply place all the ingredients together in a large soup pot, cover and bring to a low boil.
• Continue to cook, covered at a very low boil for 20 minutes, or until the cubes of potato are very soft.
• When everything is soft, remove from heat and allow to cool a bit before blending.
• I recommend using a ’stick blender’ to process the soup, but you can also place the soup in batches in a blender or food processor.
• Blend until smooth – carefully since the soup will still be hot.
• Salt and pepper to final taste and serve.

Enjoy!  My favorite way to have this zucchini soup is simple with some nice crusty bread, but here are some other garnish ideas:

 Garnish ideas for Cream of Zucchini Soup:

• Grated raw zucchini
• Light cream swirl
• Fresh thyme leaves
• Minced chives
• Low-fat plain yogurt
• Diced bacon
• Sauteed mushrooms
• Croutons

 Freezing the Zucchini Soup:If you make an extra-large batch of this soup rest assured that it freezes well.  Leave an inch of head room in a freezer-proof container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and heat on medium low, stirring often.

I love that coffee cake is so very adaptable – with a basic recipe for the coffee cake itself, an endless array of  variations is possible and seasonal berries make a tremendous addition.  Blueberry season is in full swing, and they work as nicely in coffee cake as they do in pancakes.  I can’t seem to make enough things for Rob with blueberries – he absolutely loves them and this coffee cake is a huge hit with him.  The crunchy streusel topping with coconut  and almonds is a perfect flavor combo with the fresh blueberries and it’s hard to not keep snacking on it all day long.  Aside from how delicious it is, another great thing about this coffee cake is how easy it is to make – it’s not temperamental. As a snacking cake it’s great but also fits the bill for breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dessert. 

Ingredients for Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe:  (serves 12)

For the Coconut-Almond Streusel Topping:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 cup white sugar
• 1/8 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp.  cinnamon
• 1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shelled and skinned
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

For the Blueberry Coffee Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups flour plus 1 tbsp.
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350° and grease an 8 inch square baking dish or removable bottom baking dish.

Streusel topping:

• Sift together the sugars, flour and cinnamon for the topping.
• Stir in the finely chopped coconut and almonds.
• Mix in the butter (with your hands) until everything is well combined.
• Set aside while making the cake.

Coffee Cake;

• Sift the flour (except for the additional tablespoon), baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together.  This will insure even distribution and even rising. Set aside while mixing the wet ingredients.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth.
• Add eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar until fully combined.
• Mix in the milk until well combined.
• Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture in thirds, mixing on low or by hand until well combined after each addition.
• Dust one cup of the  blueberries with the one tablespoon flour – which will keep them from falling to the bottom of the cake.
• Stir  the floured blueberries gently into the batter.
• Add the batter to the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly.
• Add the remaining cup of blueberries to the top of the batter.
• Sprinkle the prepared streusel topping evenly across the top of the cake.

Bake for 40 - 45 minutes in the 350°  oven.

Serve warm or let come to room temperature.  It is great leftover too – just store in the refrigerator and let come to room temperature or heat for several minutes in a 350° oven.

Enjoy!

Lobster and Avocado boats make an easy and special dish that’s great for Brunch or lunch -  but I’ve also served this with a cup of seafood chowder and it made a very satisfying summertime dinner.  Just a bit of heat from sriracha, fresh cilantro and lemon juice makes a great complement to the creamy avocado and sweet, briny lobster.  If you’d like to serve it as a salad course,  plate the lobster-avocado mix over crisp, fresh greens lightly dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper – delicious!  

Ingredients for Lobster Avocado Boats recipe: (serves two, multiply recipe as needed)   

• 1 cup fresh lobster meat cut into bite sized pieces (approx. the tail and claws from a 1 1/2 pound lobster)
• 1 ripe California avocado, halved and diced ( avocado half skins left intact)
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp. sriracha chili sauce
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• Lobster bits and cilantro for garnish.

Directions to make Lobster Avocado Boats:   

• In a small skillet, combine the olive oil, minced garlic and sriracha sauce over medium low heat.  Allow to just barely come to a simmer and remove immediately from heat. Allow to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Add the lemon juice to the diced avocado in a medium bowl and stir very gently.  The lemon juice will add great flavor and also keep the diced avocado from discoloring.
• Add the lobster, cilantro and salt to the avocado and lemon, stir very gently to combine.
• Add the olive oil mixture, stir gently again and taste for salt.
• Stuff the avocado skins with the mixture and garnish with a bit of lobster and cilantro.

Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for up to an hour.  Enjoy!

If you’d like instruction and photos on how to cook a lobster and remove the meat, please see  How to Cook and Eat a Maine Lobster    

If you’d like instruction and photos on how to dice an avocado the easy way, please see  Great Guacamole      

I love Maine lobster!  I grew up eating them fairly often in the summertime, mostly simply steamed, and became quite expert at prying all the meat I could from each one.  That has served me well because many people choose to only eat the easy-access tail and claw meat  and I use the uneaten bodies the next day to make a wonderful array of dishes.  Some seafood shops will sell just the body portion after they’ve removed the claw and tail meat  and those are very affordable. There are a few tricks to the whole matter, the tail and claw meat removal is very simple, but it’s not difficult to get to the body meat either and the reward is what I think is some of the sweetest meat in the critter.

Special Note:  It might be tempting to grabbed the pre-cooked whole lobsters you see in the seafood case, but beware!!!  If the lobsters were not alive when they were cooked, the meat will be very off-tasting and mushy. There is an enzyme that is released by  lobsters when they die and any delay in cooking them will result in a very lousy lobster indeed.  Some stores will fish any dead lobsters from their tanks (it happens…) and cook them to avoid throwing them away. If you are not absolutely sure buy one that’s live and kicking!

How to Boil a Lobster:

This is a very traditional way to cook lobster and especially good for cooks who want the lobster ‘dispatched’ as quickly as possible.

• Boil enough water to cover the lobsters in a large pot.
• Add the lobsters head first carefully into the water then partially cover the pot.
• When the water comes back to the boil reduce the heat to a low boil and begin timing.
• How long to boil a lobster:   Boil for 10 minutes for the first pound, then add three minutes for each additional half pound. So a one and a half pound lobster will be cooked in 13 minutes, a 2 pound lobster will be cooked in 16 minutes. Multiple lobsters can be cooked in a pot with this timing – just make sure your water comes back to the boil before starting the clock.
• Remove the cover entirely when the water begins to foam up to avoid spilling over.
• When cooked the lobsters will be bright red.
• Drain the lobsters carefully and let cool until they can be handled.

How to Steam a Lobster:

This maximizes the briny flavor of the lobster and a matter of choice in the boiled vs. steamed lobster preparation debate!

• Bring two inches of water to a boil in a large pot that has a large steamer insert and cover.
• Place the lobsters in the steamer insert and carefully place over the boiling water.
• Cover the pot and begin timing.
• How long to steam a lobster:  Steam for 10 minutes for the first pound and four minutes for each additional half pound.  A pound and a half lobster will take 14 minutes and a two pound lobster will take 18 minutes.
• Check to make sure there is still enough water at the bottom of the pot 10 minutes into cooking.
• Lobsters will be done when they are bright red.
• Drain carefully and allow to cool enough to handle.

How to remove lobster meat from the shells:    This is the fun part!  Roll up your sleeves, have some melted butter, wedges of lemon and a large bowl for juices/shells on hand and dig in. Eat as you go or save some in the butter for the end.

• You’ll need:  Something to crack the shells….this could be lobster crackers, a rock, or the back of a heavy chef’s knife. Also a narrow lobster pick or skewer.
• Twist the tail section away from the body over the bowl to capture the juices.
• Remove the green tomalley (liver) from the top of the tail and bottom of the body.  It is delicious but a repository for too many bad things these days so avoid eating too much.

• You may find some grainy red solid lumps – this is lobster roe and considered a prize by some, myself included.
• If it is a soft-shell lobster you will be able to break the tail in half with your hands, otherwise use your cracker of choice right in the middle and pull the tail meat out.
• Remove the tail fins one by one and remove any meat that didn’t come out with the tail by prying in your pick or sucking it out.

• Pull the strip of meat from the top of the tail (it will pull off easily) and remove any digestive strip that’s there.
• Remove the rubber bands from the claws.
• Twist off the claws from where they meet the body, again over a bowl to capture any liquid.
• Twist off the main claw section from the leg portion and crack open the legs (knuckles) and remove the meat with a pick.
• Pull the small claw part from the large one and pry out the meat .
• Crack the large portion of the claw in the middle and remove the meat.  Sometimes there is a flat solid piece in the large claw meat – remove that.

• So the meat’s out of the tail and claws – what to do with the body and little legs?
• The easiest way to remove the meat from the bosy portion is to remove the small legs first.  just twist and pull the away from the body.

There’s a lot of meat in the small legs – either suck it out, or use a trick I like (especially when I’m getting lobster meat for a recipe) Use a rolling pin to roll down the sections of the legs!

• To get to the body meat, pull the section of the lobster where the legs were attached and pull away from the main shell.
• Grab the body section you’ve removed and with the interior facing toward you break in half lengthwise with your hands.  This will expose chucks of meat between cartilage parts that you can pick out with fingers or your pick.
• If you want to get to the bits of meat in the head you will need to very carefully remove the digestive sack that’s right below the head. Do not puncture it, just slide your fingers gently underneath and pull away and out.
• If the digestive sack has been removed there may be some meat to peel carefully off of it. 

Enjoy your lobster – simply delicious and fresh!