12:51 AM 3/20/98
rfc

A couple of years ago, a friend gave me 4
lobster tails for a birthday present, as he
knows I'm a pretty good cook and would adore
same.  It's ironic that my husband is from
Cape Cod but eats no seafood, so I decided
to concoct an appetizer that I could share
with others, including the man who gave me
the HUGE lobster tails.  I consulted my
father-in-law, who used to be a seafood
inspector for the State of Massachusetts,
on how long to cook the tails, and decreased
his time a bit for a perfect result.  

These came out divine.  Wrote down approximately
what I did at the time, and revised the recipe
once or twice when making them again, though it
could probably use a little more "refining".  This 
would also make a very good entree.  It's nice when served
with fresh asparagus with clarified butter and freshly 
ground black pepper and broiled, roasted, sauteed or 
stuffed tomatoes.  

Michelle
mmb@bellsouth.net

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    **********************************************
    ***** Lobster Ravioli with Lobster Sauce *****
    **********************************************

    Categories: Lobster Tails   Mine            Appetizer      

    Calories     per serving:             Number of Servings:   6
    Fat grams    per serving:              Approx. Cook Time:      
    Cholesterol  per serving:                          Marks:     

    INGREDIENTS ------------------------------------------------------------

                      COOKING THE LOBSTER:                              
       4              lobster tails - about 8-oz. each, rinsed          
       1/4      tsp   salt                                              
       1        Tbsp  white wine vinegar                                
                      LOBSTER STOCK:                                    
       1 1/2    cup   chicken stock - unsalted, if possible             
                      lobster shells - retained from tails              
                      LOBSTER SAUCE:                                    
       3        Tbsp  unsalted butter                                   
       2        Tbsp  flour                                             
       1/2            medium onin - finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)      
       2              medium shallots - minced                          
       1/2      cup   dry vermouth (or dry white wine)                  
       1/2      tsp   dried tarragon - crushed                          
       1/4      tsp   thyme leaves - crushed                            
       1              small bay leaf                                    
       1/4      tsp   freshly ground black pepper                       
       2              drops Tabasco                                     
                      Pinch cayenne                                     
       1              fish bouillon cube                                
       1/4      cup   reserved lobster meat                             
       1        Tbsp  dry sherry - or more, to taste                    
                      LOBSTER FILLING:                                  
                      Lobster meat - chopped (in healthy 1/4" pieces)   
       2        tsp   finely chopped garlic chives - OR regular chives  
                      Pinch black pepper                                
       1        tsp   fresh parsley - finely chopped OR 1 teaspoon dried
                      parsley - crushed                                 
       2/3      cup   lobster stock                                     
                      RAVIOLI:                                          
       1              package wonton wrappers - usually stocked near    
                      refrigerated produce section (or Asian section)   
       1              egg yolk                                          
       2        Tbsp  water                                             
                      Cornmeal                                          

    DIRECTIONS  ------------------------------------------------------------

    COOKING THE LOBSTER TAILS:                                            
        Boil enough water to just cover the 4 lobster tails.  Add salt and
    vinegar.  When rapidly boiling, add tails and reduce temperature      
    slightly, maintaining boil.  Boil 8 minutes, drain and plunge tails   
    into ice water to cover.  After 3 minutes, drain and peel, cutting    
    underside of shell to free lobster meat. RETAIN SHELLS and set aside. 
        Chop lobster into healthy 1/4-inch pieces, as it needs to be this 
    small to use as ravioli stuffing.  Seat aside, separating 2/3 cup for 
    sauce.                                                                
                                                                          
    LOBSTER STOCK:                                                        
        Chopped reserved lobster shells into 1/2-inch pieces with kitchen 
    shears.  Boil chicken stock and lobster shells.  Reduce to a healthy  
    simmer, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let    
    cool to room temperature, about 20 to 30 minutes.  When stock is room 
    temperature, strain through fine sieve, reserving stock and discarding
    shells.                                                               
                                                                          
    LOBSTER SAUCE:                                                        
        Melt butter in small, heavy saucepan.  Add flour; stir well with  
    wooden spoon until mixture is smooth, tilting pan and working corners 
    wtih spoon, if necessary.  Lumps will disappear with stirring.  Cook  
    for 1 minute on low heat, stirring constantly.  Add onions and        
    shallots and cook on low for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  add   
    strained lobster stock, dry vermouth, tarragon, thyme, bay leaf, black
    pepper, Tabasco, cayenne (if desired) and fish bouillon cube. Bring to
    boil; reduce to simmer and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.  Remove 
    from heat.                                                            
                                                                          
    LOBSTER STUFFING and RAVIOLI:                                         
        In large bowl to facilitate mixing, add lobster meat (don't forget
    to reserve 1/4 cup for the sauce if you haven't already done so),     
    garlic chives, black pepper, and parsley.  Mix gently, so as to       
    refrain from breaking up lobster; use a folding motion until well     
    mixed.  Bind mixture with reserved 2/3 cup lobster stock.  Mix gently 
    again until mixture is well moistened with stock.                     
        When working with the wonton skins, keep the bulk of them covered 
    while you work or they will dry out quickly.  A good way to do this is
    to soak two paper towels with water, squeezing out the bulk of the    
    water, leaving towels very damp, but not dripping.                    
        Sprinkle a flat surface (countertop or butcher block) with        
    cornmeal.  Lay out 24 of the wonton wrappers on this surface. Spoon 1 
    tablespoon portions of the lobster stuffing onto the center of each   
    wrapper.                                                              
        Beat the egg yolk with the water and using a brush (or your       
    finger), brush this mixture around the edge of each filled wonton     
    wrapper.  Top with a second wonton wrapper, and press down with       
    fingers around each edge to seal.  Using a fork, press fork tines down
    around each edge of each ravioli, "crimping" the ravioli closed.      
    Remove ravioli to surface prepared with cornmeal (large platter is    
    good).  Cover these ravioli, too, with damp paper towels while you    
    prepare the rest.                                                     
        When all ravioli are stuffed and crimped, they're ready to cook.  
                                                                          
    LOBSTER SAUCE:                                                        
        At this point in time, you should bring the reserved lobster sauce
    to a simmer.  Add reserved lobster meat and stir, cooking for 2       
    minutes.  Add the cream. Once hot, simmer for 4 minutes, stirring     
    occasionally.  When satisfied with consistency (it will get thicker   
    the longer you cook it), add the dry sherry. Reduce heat to lowest    
    possible, or remove from heat if you can't get a real low heat on your
    burner.  DO NOT cover sauce.                                          
                                                                          
    COOKING THE RAVIOLI:                                                  
        Boil water in 4-quart or larger saucepan.  Lightly salt water. Add
    the stuffed ravioli; cook for 3 minutes and then remove promptly with 
    a slotted spoon, holding over sink to drain, then moving to platter   
    lightly oiled with good olive oil (put about 1/2 teaspoon oliver oil  
    on platter and oil it with your fingers).  Do not stack ravioli, but  
    use a second platter if necessary.                                    
                                                                          
    TO SERVE:                                                             
        If serving as an appetizer, divide cooked ravioli onto 6 appetizer
    plates.  If main dish, spoon carefully onto warmed serving platter.   
    Spoon lobster sauce on top.  Garnish with garlic chives, lemon slices 
    and tomato wedges, if desired.  Serve immediately.                    
                                                                          
    Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer or 4 as a main dish.                    
                                                                          
    Copyright 1998 Michelle M. Bass.                                      
    Source: Original by Michelle M. Bass  
