The odd bits of an ingredient, to me, are the parts that aren't as easily accessible or obviously delicious. For example, the tips of the lobster claws are usually overcooked pieces of not quite meat that end up being dry and somewhat salty. Frankly I usually remove and discard them because they just aren't worth the calories, few as they may be. Today we looked at them in a new light. Yesterday we made several noodle shapes with our Sriracha pasta dough. One of them was cresta de gallo, or cocks combs. With the shape bouncing around our heads and with lobsters in front of us we made the natural leap from cocks comb to lobster comb. The piece of the claw that is normally discarded or overlooked is very similar in texture and shape to a cocks comb. And so the association was made and we realized that it was possible to make it into something better than it had ever been before. Imagine that you separated the tips from the meat of the claws and cooked them gently to retain their naturally silky texture and let their sweet flavor shine through. That's exactly what we did. Here they are paired with the meat from the smallest legs to show how even the oddest bits of the lobster can be turned into something beautiful and delicious. A little bit of Siracha pasta and fresh grilled parsley helped accentuate their innate qualities and create a dish to remember.
Years Past
March 15, 2011
