Cooking with Shonte. "Lobster Tails with Basil "

Come and join our house chef, Shonte', nurse practitioner and farmer for her monthly live cooking sessions.  

She writes all of her own recipes, and adds her little tips and tricks to bring mouth watering flavors to her dishes.   

RECIPE BELOW

You can cook with her or just join to watch. 

You can also watch on our facebook Insiders group, as we stream live.     

Let's beat the summer heat with a refreshing and delicious mid-summer treat! As a huge seafood lover, I'm excited to share my lobster recipe, followed by a tasty and refreshing lemonade recipe.

The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. You can cook the lobster broiled, baked, grilled, steamed, or even poached in butter. Get creative! Pair your cooked lobster with a side of your favorite salad, fried rice (taught from a previous class!), or steamed vegetables like asparagus, green beans, squash, or zucchini. You can even incorporate the cooked lobster into your fried rice dish for an extra special treat.

Ingredients

3-4 shells in lobster tails 

½ tablespoon of minced Garlic (preferably freshly minced, but ok to use a jar of minced garlic)

¼ cup of Salted or unsalted Butter

1 tablespoon Lemon juice (freshly squeezed or from a bottle)

½ tablespoon Garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon dried or fresh parsley flakes 

1 teaspoon of paprika 

Salt and pepper 

1 teaspoon of Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (optional)

Hand full (3-4 leaves each) Fresh basil, lemon balm(if available), mint 

6 lemons (should make 1 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice), may use bottled lemon juice as an alternative

1 ½ cup of sugar 

3 cups of water

Ice 

1-gallon container 

Fresh lemon wedges, for serving

Tips:

For a richer flavor, use clarified butter instead of regular butter for the lemon butter sauce.

If your lobster tails are frozen, thaw them completely in the refrigerator before cooking.

Be sure not to overcook the lobster, as it will become tough and rubbery.

Vegan/Vegetarian Alternatives:

You can use Heart of Palm as an alternative to lobster

Butter- vegan butter

Tools

Roasting rack or baking sheet

Basting brush 

Baster 

Kitchen sheers (kitchen scissors)

Mincer

Chef Knife

Saucepan 

Large spoon

Juicer 

Measuring cups and spoons 

Lobster Tail Directions:

Preheat your broiler in the oven to high or to 500 degrees. Ensure the broiler rack is positioned at least 6 inches from the heat source.

Prepare the lobster tails. Using kitchen shears, cut the top shell of each lobster tail lengthwise, starting from the tail head and running all the way up to the tip of the tail Carefully pry open the shell and remove the vein running down the center of the tail meat.  You can leave the tail fanned or flatten it slightly for even cooking.

Make the lemon butter. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, parsley flakes, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.

Broil the lobster tails. Arrange the lobster tails on a baking sheet lined with foil. Brush the lobster meat generously with the lemon butter sauce. Place the baking sheet under the broiler and cook for 4-5 minutes per ounce of lobster tail (for a 5-ounce tail, cook for 20-25 minutes). Keep a close eye on the lobster as it can broil quickly. The lobster is cooked through when the flesh becomes opaque and slightly firm to the touch. During the cooking process, baste the lobster with the butter sauce to keep moist and enhance the flavor

Serve immediately. Transfer the lobster tails to plates, spoon additional lemon butter sauce over the top, and garnish with fresh lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Lemonade Directions:

Make the simple syrup: In a saucepan, combine 1  cup of water with the sugar, basil, mint, and lemon balm leaves. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let steep for 5-10min allowing the flavors to infuse.

You can strain the herbs out or keep them in (I like to keep them in)

Add remaining water and lemon juice: Stir in the remaining 2 cups of water and the fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust sweetness or tartness by adding more sugar or lemon juice as desired.

Serve chilled: Fill glasses with ice and top with the homemade lemonade. Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil, mint, or lemon balm for a touch of visual appeal and extra aroma.