Luscious Lobster Thermidor

Luscious Lobster Thermidor

Ingredients:

Lobster:

5 ounces lobster meat, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 tablespoon finely chopped pimentos

1/2 cup thick sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon chopped chives

Butter for sautéing

1 tablespoon sherry

Newburg Sauce:

1/2 to 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Newburg Sauce:

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup clam juice

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons sherry

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons light cream

Directions:

Sauce:

Melt butter over a medium low flame. When completely melted, add paprika and stir for 2 minutes. Add the flour to the butter and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to cook the roux.

Stir constantly to avoid burning. Add the clam juice and stir until thickening begins. Add 1/4 cup milk, light cream and sherry.

Simmer for 5 minutes and, if needed, add remaining 1/4 cup milk. Serve immediately or refrigerate for future use.

Lobster:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Over medium heat, melt enough butter to lightly cover the  bottom of a heavy, large sauté pan.

Place the lobster, chives, pimentos and mushrooms in the pan and stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add the sherry to deglaze the pan.

Be careful as the sherry may flame up as the alcohol burns off.Stir in 4 ounces of Newburg Sauce and stir for 1 minute. Pour into a single serving casserole and sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is bubbly.

Serve immediately.

Maryland Garlic Rum Shrimp

Maryland Garlic Rum Shrimp

Ingredients:

3 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Salt, to taste

Tabasco sauce, to taste

1/2 cup light rum

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1/2 cup Spanish olive oil

5 cloves chopped garlic

1/4 cup bread crumbs

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

In bowl, season shrimp with salt and Tabasco. In smaller bowl, combine rum, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce and cumin.

Blend with shrimp, refrigerate and marinate at least 1 hour. In a small saucepan, combine butter and oil. When butter begins to get foamy, add garlic.

Sauté for 2 minutes. Set aside. Transfer shrimp with marinade to dish (putting shrimp in single layer), top with garlic sauce and bread crumbs. Broil (up to 10 minutes).