Clams And Lobsters On The Grill
The Early Show resident chef Bobby Flay's latest cookbook, "Bobby Flay's Boy Gets Grill," celebrates cultural culinary influences found in New York City.
Flay is a child of the Big Apple, so his palate has tested and tasted the flavors of China Town and Little Italy, the soul and salsa of Harlem and her cousin Spanish Harlem, Greek dishes in Astoria, Queens, and the Caribbean flare of the Northeast Bronx and much of Brooklyn.
That Caribbean "flava" is the inspiration behind this lobster dish. According to Flay, "When I slather hot lobsters with this aromatic spice butter, the incredible perfume that rises takes me right back to the Caribbean. Sitting on the beach with a glass of rum-spiked lemonade on an island near Anguilla, I had my first taste of the local grilled lobsters."
The combination of smokiness and sweet flavor against the salty lobster makes Butterflied Lobster With Curry Butter one of Flay's favorite dishes. Cooking time on the grill is minimal and the butter itself is a cinch to prepare.
You can boil the lobsters several hours ahead and refrigerate until you're ready for the grill. The key to a great tasting finished product is a very hot grill. The lobster is split with a knife on the underside, with the shell intact and placed on the grill meat-side down until lightly charred and heated through. Once off the grill, the meat is slathered heavily with the curry butter.
Essentially there are two species of lobster. Both thrive in the North Atlantic. The basic, most notable difference is size - the American lobster grows slightly larger than its European brother.
The color of live lobster is usually dark blue or greenish, but can vary according to habitat. It is only after being cooked, when the red pigment in its hard bony outer covering is released, that it turns bright red.
A way to impress your guests is by tossing a handful clams on a hot grill to watch them pop. In this dish, each of the cooked and opened clams is stuffed with Serrano ham, placed on a platter, and drizzled with olive oil, with a side condiment of hot sauce.
In Portugal and Spain, clams served with ham is a very common combination. This recipe is wonderful for tapas or served as an appetizer.
Clams exist in two forms - hard-shell and soft-shell. The hard-shell clams found on the East Coast come in three sizes:
Clams are sold live in the shell, fresh or frozen shucked, and canned.
Be sure to notice that hard-shell clams should be tightly closed at the time of purchase. If the shell is open, tap it lightly. If it doesn't snap shut, the clam is dead and should be discarded.
Live clams can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
BUTTERFLIED LOBSTER WITH CURRY BUTTER
Serves: 4
Four 1 1/2 pound lobsters, par-steamed and butterflied
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper.
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water cook the lobsters until they are three-quarters done, about 12-15 minutes. Let the lobsters cool then split each in half, not going through the entire lobster.
2. Heat grill to high. Brush the cut-side of the lobster with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, cut-side down until lightly charred, and just cooked through. Remove from the grill and slather with curry butter and chopped cilantro.
Curry Butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons good quality curry powder
2 cups white wine
2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened
Salt
Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add the curry powder and cook for 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by 3/4, about 10-12 minutes. Place the butter in a bowl, add the curry mixture and mix until well combined, season with salt. Cover and place in the refrigerator until cold, about 2 hours.
GRILLED CLAMS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH SERRANO HAM
Serves: 4
32 littleneck clams, scrubbed
4 slices of Serrano ham, ripped into 32 small pieces
Extra Virgin Spanish Olive oil
Heat grill to medium heat. Place clams on the grates of the grill, close the cover and cook until the clams have opened. Place a piece of Serrano ham into each of the clams and drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately with your favorite hot sauce.
JERK RUBBED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH MANGO & HOME-MADE HABANERO HOT SAUCE
Serves: 4
Jerk Rub
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon habanero powder
2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons dry thyme
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
8 chicken thighs
Canola oil
Sliced fresh mango
Habanero Mango Sauce
Chopped cilantro
1.Combine all spices in a small bowl. Season the chicken with salt. Rub the skin side of the chicken with the rub.
2. Heat the grill to medium-low heat and grill the thighs, skin side down for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown and a crust has formed. Turn the chicken, close the cover of the grill and move the chicken to the side (or cooler part) of the grill. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes or until completely cooked through. Remove to a platter and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve fresh mango slices and mango-habanero hot sauce and chopped cilantro.
Home-made Mango-Habanero Sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 small Spanish onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 habaneros, chopped
1 tablespoon honey, or more to taste
1 cup white wine vinegar
Salt
1.Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add mangoes and habanero and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the honey and vinegar and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Place the mixture in a blender and blend until smooth, strain into a bowl, and if the mixture is too thick, add a few tablespoons of warm water. Season with salt.
MOJITOS
Yields: 1
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
2 springs fresh mint
Squeeze of fresh lime juice
2 ounces light rum
Splash of club soda
Ice cubes
Place sugar and mint in a tall glass and using the back of a spoon, mash the mint leaves into the sugar. Add the remaining ingredients and serve.