'Tis the season to eat lobster
Published:Thursday | July 7, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Martin Baxter, Gleaner Writer
It's a season inspiring 'gastro-venturers' and restaurateurs alike to re-embrace the popular crustacean in all its culinary delight - but only while the law says they can.
Whether you find yourself on the north coast or in the hustle and bustle of the capital, as of July 1, premium lobster dishes are just a stone's throw away. What better to way to find the right recipe for your palate than to visit some of the island's most renowned eateries and sample this seasonal specialty?
The north coast boasts a few seafood restaurants - Toscanini at Harmony Hall, St Mary; Evita's in Ocho Rios, St Ann - among its culinary stalwarts. But, find yourself at the newly opened Lobster Shack at Reggae Beach in St Mary and you may well just add this venue to your short list of trusted kitchens.
Moonlit skies, candlelit tables, soft music and small bonfires lining the seashore, provide the backdrop to the introduction of four new dishes to the Lobster Shack's already-comprehensive menu of delectable seafood.
To coincide with the reopening of lobster season, hostesses will serve appetisers, including a rich and flavourful Lobster Shack bisque, and for those preferring a lighter salad-based dish, lobster ceviche. For those wanting to skip straight to the entrées, grilled lobster tails with curry papaya chutney and grilled summer vegetables provide a great start to the dining experience. For a more Jamaican-inspired dish, patrons can opt for the jerked lobster with green plantain hash and creamed callaloo.
Those unable to travel to the north coast in search of a lobster luncheon can create their own seafood platter with the help of some basic ingredients, a cooking apron and a little flair in the kitchen.
Lobster Ceviche
Ingredients
2 pounds freshly broiled lobster, removed from shell
1/2 fresh pineapple - peeled, cored and diced small
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white wine (remember if you wouldn't want to drink it, don't cook with it)
2 lemons, juiced
1 teaspoon jerk seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
Salt to taste
Directions
1. Cube the cooked lobster into one-inch cubes.
2. Place into a large bowl with the water, lemon juice, cilantro, onion, pineapple, tomato, jerk seasoning, garlic and salt.
3. Let it stand at room temperature for one hour before serving on a bed of lettuce and shredded carrots. Garnish with tomato wedges and parsley.
Serves 6.
Note: You can replace the white wine with Red Stripe beer, which adds an interesting flavour to this salad.