So what are you doing for the holidays? While most will be trimming the turkey and ham, I’ll be doing my traditional Christmas lobster supper.
This is a special treat that has evolved over the years so that I can entertain my parents at my place with as little fuss and muss in the kitchen as possible.
Instead of cooking the lobster at home, I get it ready at Starfish. Yup, I take the mess right out of my kitchen and put it into Starfish’s where the dishwasher takes 90 seconds per cycle, and I can hose down the chopping block. And you can too! All you need is, um, a restaurant…right, or order it to go from a restaurant or fishmonger…
First however, I fulfill a few take out oyster orders. There are always a few loyal oyster fans that need their oyster fix for Christmas, and I send them home happy with a couple dozen oysters shucked, "cap-on" (I replace the lid of the oyster so the meat does not slip out).
While I am packing up the oysters, I have the pot on for my lobsters.
I make a salted stock of Chateau le Lac ’09. I add salt to make the water taste like the sea, add a few veggies and a bottle of beer, and bring it to a boil.
I then place the lobsters head first into the rolling stock, and let them cook for about seven minutes per pound (Mine are from George of Yarmouth Lobster here in Toronto. He gets daily deliveries from his family in Nova Scotia, and brings them to my door).
If you want to try this, please take the rubber bands off of the claws first — rubber band stock is not tasty. Now, if you are cooking a mess-o-lobsters, then once the water has come back to the boil, and the lobsters are starting to float to the top of the pot, they are done.
Pull the lobbies out, tear off the claws with a cleaver or sturdy knife and nip the tips of the claws off to allow the water to drain out before cracking and serving — saves on you getting wet at the table. Split the tail down the middle and you are set to serve. Just add lemon and butter. Butter does make the lobster richer and more fattening than it deserves to be — but what the heck, it’s Christmas!
What I like to do, as I am taking the lobsters home, is to pull the meat out of the shell and do a quick butter poach/bath to heat up the meat again just before serving. This is the easiest for your guests as all of the work is done, and they can keep their Christmas party clothes clean.
Merry Fishmas, and Happy New Oyster to all.
I look forward to 2010 with visions of Aquaculture dancing in my head.
Shuckingly yours, Paddy
Luckily, I am offering take-out oysters to everyone, not just my parents (sorry Mom, but you’re still number 1 in my books). For December 24th 12-3pm at Starfish (416-366-7827), and if New Year’s Eve is your big night, then the take out oyster is available at The Ceili Cottage (416-406-1301) in Leslieville 12noon-close. If you have been especially good this year, I may even cook a lobster for you, but you have to ask really nice.
Patrick McMurray is the owner of Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill and The Ceili Cottage. He is also a World Champion Oyster Shucker. Catch his blog weekly at PostCity.com.