2013 Food & Wine Chickie Lobsterfest

2013 Food & Wine Chickie Lobsterfest

LobstersLast night, I had the pleasure of hosting my 4th annual Food & Wine Chickie Lobsterfest. I was blessed with perfect weather, sunny and 75 degrees, and the festivities took place outdoors.

Pork Belly Deviled Eggs

Pork Belly Deviled Eggs

The evening kicked off with an aperitif of 2012 Banrock Station Pink Moscato, delicate pink in the glass with refreshing, lightly floral flavors and a 2012 Banrock Station Moscato, a slightly lemony, bright and light wine. These wines were paired with cruditées and pork belly deviled eggs. I’ll share my pork belly recipe this week, so be on the lookout.

Lamb Kufta

Lamb Kufta

Next, came grilled chicken satay with Thai Peanut Sauce, a slight variation on my Chorizo and Manchego Bites using one of my favorite cheeses, Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar, and lamb kufta with Tzatziki sauce. These appetizers were paired with the highly-rated Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko, a big mouthful of citrusy deliciousness.

Next came what folks came to my place for – lobster! For those of you who haven’t dared to make lobsters at home, here are fail-proof Lobster Boiling 101 techniques that will guarantee you great results. My whole family serves lobster with our Lemon Butter Sauce and I did again this time. It’s truly a great little sauce that is equally as tasty with fish or chicken. The two wines being poured with that course were both from the Finger Lakes: Red Newt Circle Riesling and Ravines Dry Riesling, one of Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines last year.

Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie

At the request of my guy, I served my Zesty Key Lime Tart for dessert. It’s tangy and light and a great finish to a pretty rich meal.

Overall, it was a fun evening and one not terribly difficult to recreate at your home. If you decide to go for it and want help or tips, just message me!

Cheers,

Veronique

The Food and Wine Chickie 2nd Annual Lobsterfest

The Food and Wine Chickie 2nd Annual Lobsterfest

Last night, I hosted a dinner party for close friends where lobster was king.  This was the 2nd annual “lobsterfest” I’ve held and think it’s a really fun concept that can be executed rather simply.

Friends always offer to bring “something” to my parties, and last night, I decided to take them up on it.  One friend was tasked with bringing potato salad (future post I hope) and another with bringing a few cheeses we could enjoy post-dessert.

I popped a few bottles of bubbly, what could be better with rich lobster?  2 ½ – 3-pound lobsters were boiled using my Boiling Lobster 101 technique, Lemon Butter Cream was quickly prepared and the party was on its way.  Dessert was my Easy Like Sunday Morning Key Lime Pie which is a popular summer dessert that’s easy to prepare using semi-homemade staples.

I urge you to try this type of party that’s both worry-free and very festive.  Your guests will appreciate the luxe meal and you’ll love that it can be put together in a breeze.

Enjoy!

Veronique

 

Lobsterfest in the Comfort of My Home

Lobsterfest in the Comfort of My Home

I’m always looking for new themes for the dinner parties I host and this weekend, I decided to do a lobster party for some friends.

Although a perceived luxury item, lobster can be relatively affordable if purchased in season.  I made sure I held this party while lobsters were on sale at my grocery store and the cost per person was the same as when I buy nice steaks for everyone.  The difference – lobster’s fun and special!

Once of the downfalls of doing lobsters at home is the smell of the crustaceans cooking and the lingering smell in the house for the next week.  I resolved this issue by buying a turkey fryer at my local hardware store.  The turkey fryer comes with a huge metal pot, a strainer basket insert and a burner that can be connected to any standard propane tank.  I set the cooking station outside thus eliminating the mess in the house.

The trick to making a perfectly-cooked lobster is to carefully time how long you have it in the water.  This is the technique my dad’s passed on to me for solid results:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Plunge the lobsters, head first, into the boiling water.
  3. Bring the water back to a boil (should take 3-5 minutes).
  4. Let the lobsters cook for exactly 15 minutes then immediately remove them from the water and serve.

This technique is for lobsters up to two pounds.  For lobsters over two pounds, cook for 20 minutes.

The beauty about doing this type of party is that the side items served with lobster can be very affordable and simple.  Boil some red-skinned potatoes, roast some corn, make a tomato salad or cole slaw and prepare a terrific lemon butter dipping sauce for the succulent, tender lobster and you’re set!

Here’s a simple yet delicious recipe for lemon butter sauce that my family’s adopted from Rolande, my step-mother:

Lemon-Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

  • ½ pound (2 sticks) salted butter
  • Juice of 3 lemons
  • ¼ cup heavy cream

Directions:

  1. Bring the butter to a simmer in a medium heavy pan over medium-low heat.  Cook for 3-4 minutes until the milky solids have mostly evaporated.
  2. Add the lemon juice and reduce heat to low.  Whisk in the cream and keep warm until ready to serve.

For best results, serve in a small dish over a candle burner to keep warm.

To finish the evening on a last Maine note, serve a blueberry cobbler like the one I prepared for my guests.  It’s an easy dessert to prepare and a real crowd pleaser.

There’s truly no need to go to a seafood place for lobster.  A fun and affordable dinner party can be prepared in a jiffy that your friends and family will enjoy and appreciate.

Cheers,

Veronique