A roasted tomato sauce and chive-laced sour cream are the perfect accompaniment to these rich lobster cakes.
For the recipe, should be Adapted from Executive Chef Michael Salmon of Hartstone Inn.
Roasted Tomato Jus
1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 plum tomatoes
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup tomato juice
Chive Sour Cream
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Lobster Cakes
2 (1½) pound live Maine lobsters (or ¾ pound cooked lobster meat)
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
1 large egg
1½ cup panko bread crumbs, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 ripe Haas avocados
½ lemon
2 tablespoons canola oil
fresh dill and chives for garnish
1. Prepare the roasted tomato jus. Preheat th oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush the paper with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil.
2. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them cut side up on the baking sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 2 hours.
3. Place the roasted tomatoes in the blender with the tomato juice and blend until smooth. Maybe prepare a day in advance. Store, refrigerated, then warm before serving.
4. Prepare the chive sour cream. Place the sour cream in a small mixing bowl and add the chives. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
5. Prepare the lobsters. Fill a very large (9-quart or larger) stockpot with 2 inches of water, cover and bring to a boil. Add lobsters, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the water and let cool. When cool, crack lobsters and remove the meat from the claws, knuckles, and tails (discarding the vein). Discard shells (keeping the tail fin for garnish, cut in half) and cut the lobster into 1/2-inch pieces.
6. In a medium bowl, combine the lobster, mayonnaise, onion, celery, bell pepper, egg, 1/2 cup of the panko, and dill. Stir gently to combine.
7. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and squeeze lemon over one of the halves. Reserve this half for garnish. Peel the skin from the remaining three halves and cut the avocados into 1/2-inch cubes. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice and very gently fold into the lobster mixture.
8. Portion the lobster mixture into 8 balls and pat down, forming the balls into 3/4-inch high disks. Place remaining 1 cup panko in a shallow bowl. One by one, set the cakes into the panko to coat, pressing slightly and coating on both sides.
9. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the lobster cakes for 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 300 degrees F oven.
10. To serve, please 2 lobster cakes in the center of 4 plates, leaning one of them on the other. Spoon the roasted tomato jus around the cakes and place three dollops of the chive sour cream evenly around the plate. Using a melon baller, cut smooth round balls from the remaining avocado half and arrange around the lobster cakes. Garnish with fresh dill and chives and the reserved lobster fin tail.
Serves 4
