Whole Maine Lobster

Every year, TK and I go up to the Berkshires for New Years. Over the years, we have tried going out on New Year's Eve with mixed results. In the end, we've settled that the best plan is to not leave the Lakehouse at all if possible. Instead, we do lobster. When in New England, we figure, we are pretty much obligated to procure fantastic local lobsters, which we serve with haricot verts and potato gratin. This differs from our Summer lobster meal, when we serve our lobster with corn on the cobb and jalepeno cheddar biscuits. It is something I look forward to all year, and a great way to kick off the New Year. You just can't go wrong with a perfect whole lobster, boiled in salt water and served with butter and lemon. When your base ingredients are that good, the best thing to do is to let them speak for themselves, serve them simply, and enjoy.

Our preferred size lobster is between 1.5 lbs and 2 lbs (or to be entirely accurate, however much over 1.5 lbs the seafood salesman will give us before charging us the 2 lbs. lobster rate). Larger lobsters do not automatically mean better meat. The real 20 lbs. giants that they raffle off  in stores actually tend to have tougher meat. Lobsters shed their shells, and at certain parts of the years their shells are softer and thinner than others. These soft-shelled lobsters are significantly easier to crack, barely needing the cracker at times. Still, the softer the shell is, the newer it is, and the more room to grow the lobster has. This means the lobster will have more water weight and less meat inside, so you might want to consider a slightly larger lobster. These particular lobsters were the more common hard-shells.

The generally most anticipated part of having lobster is the killing of the lobster. Now, I think of lobsters as mutant sea bugs, so I have very little pity for them. But no one wants to make anyone suffer. We like to sedate the lobsters a little bit. We store them with wet paper towels on top in the fridge before we're ready, and then remove them one at a time and drop them in the pot. Sometimes, the fridge will be enough to make them mellow, but for particularly feisty lobsters, we put them in the freezer for about half an hour or less to sedate them. We try to minimize the time between when they are out of the fridge and when they are in the water. We submerge them completely, and feel that that is more humane than dragging it out by knifing them in the skull beforehand, though some do choose to do so.

Boiled Whole Maine Lobsters

lobsters
sea salt
butter (1/4 cup per lobster)
lemon juice (1/2 lemon per lobster)


Boiling Time For Lobsters:
1 lbs lobsters: 8-10 minutes
1.5 lbs lobsters: 12-15 minutes
2 lbs lobsters: 15-18 minutes

When you can pop the antennae off, your lobster is done.

1. In the largest pot you can find with a tight-fitting lid, add 3 quarts of water for each lobster you want to boil, filling the pot about 2/3rd to 3/4 of the way full.
2. Add generous amounts of sea salt (approx. 3 tablespoons per quart) to water and bring to a healthy boil. You are trying to mimic seawater.
3. Remove your lobsters from the fridge one at a time and quickly dunk them head first into the boiling water. Make sure to remove the rubber bands before dropping them in the water as the rubber in the bands can actually change the taste of the boiling liquid. Don't worry, and don't drag it out. The lobster won't get you.
4. Boil your lobsters for the necessary time depending on what size lobsters you have. (See above)
5. The easiest way to tell if your lobster is done is to pull at one of its antennae. When it is fully cooked, it should pop-off in your hand with little to no resistance.
6. Remove lobsters from pot and allow to rest and cool for at least five minutes.
7. Melt butter in individual ramekins.
8. Add lemon juice to the butter.
9. Serve with lobsters, shell crackers, and a bowl for discarded shells.Remember this is not a race to see who can finish their lobster first.

Classic Dijon Chicken Salad with Grapes And Apples

What can I say about chicken salad, my go-to item at your typical lunch counter? It's something I've made so many countless times it's never occurred to me to write it down before. There is nothing I find quite as comforting as large chunks of perfectly moist chicken. Using bone-in chicken goes a long way to ensuring your chicken is moist. The fat on the skin keeps the moisture in and the bones add flavor, all of which makes it a little more forgiving.

First, some basics. There is no RIGHT recipe for chicken salad, but the principles should be: some mayo/creaminess to bind it all together, some crunch for texture, some sweetness with some fruit, some onions for tang, and some mustard for flavor. Everything else is variable. I have used herbs, and I have left the herbs out because I wanted to keep it simple or because at the end of the day I dislike all things anise and licorice flavor and tarragon is constantly flirting at that border. I have used Sriracha. I have roasted chicken breast from frozen and cut straight from a whole roast chicken. I have used leftover grilled chicken legs. I have bought a rotisserie chicken. They all work with slightly different flavor.

This is my favorite, where I substitute apples for the classic celery and include grapes for sweetness. I prefer green grapes, whose skins I find to be slightly less bitter, but red grapes work too and add a nice bit of color. You can get away with using relatively tart apples in this recipe, but if the skins are thick you should consider peeling the apples first. If you don't have honey mustard on hand, use 1/2 teaspoon honey to 2 tablespoons mustard. Honey is powerful stuff, so use a very very gentle hand. 

Three breasts will make 2 to 3 sandwiches.


Dijon Chicken Salad With Grapes & Apples

3 Bone-In Split Chicken Breasts (Or 1 rotisserie chicken)
2 In-Season Apples (not Granny Smith, try Fuji, Braeburn or Pinklady)
1/3 cup seedless Grapes
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 red onion 
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons Honey Mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon finely cut herbs (optional, parsley or chives)

Instructions

1. If you are roasting the chicken, place the chicken on a sheet pan. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle lightly with oil then roast for twenty minutes at 350 degrees. Let chicken cool completely.
2. Cut the breast away from the bone and remove and discard skin.
3. Cut chicken into 1" chunks and toss into medium sized bowl, making sure to remember to remove any cartilage or tough connective tissue you come across.
4. Cut grapes into halves or quarters depending on the size of the grapes. Add to chicken.
5. Peel apples, if desired.
6. Cut apples into 1/2" cubes and add to bowl.
7. Cut red onion into 1/4" pieces and add to mixing bowl. Toss lightly.
8. Add mayonnaise, dijon mustard, honey mustard, cayenne, and pepper to taste. Add salt if needed.
9. Mix ingredients until combined. Be careful not to overly mix so that most chunks of chicken remain in tact.
10. Serve either on a sandwich with lettuce and red onion or separately.