Cooking Lobsters
To steam lobsters, put about 2 ½ to 3 inches of seawater (If seawater is not available,
add about two tablespoons of salt for every quart of water) in the bottom of a large kettle.
Bring the water to a rolling boil and put in the live lobster, one at a time, grasping them just
behind the large claws and dropping them in head first (why head first you ask…
because if you drop them in tail first they can spread their claws and make it really difficult
to get them the rest of the way in the pot….it will also numb them so they won't splash boiling
water on you). Cover kettle, return water to boiling and begin timing. Refer to About Your Lobsters for proper cooking times! Once it is fully cooked, remove your lobster from the boiling water immediately; rinse them under cold water
to stop the cooking process. When lobsters have cooled down enough to handle, you are ready to
crack open and eat your lobster. To boil lobsters, the process is almost exactly the same….
you just use more water. Fill a (very) large pot 1/4 to 1/3 full (or enough water to completely
cover the lobster when you place it in the pot) of seawater or salted water. Allow about 2 to 2 1/2 quarts of water per lobster. Bring the water to boil. Put your live lobster(s) in head first, one at time, into rapidly boiling water. Bring water to another boil.
Refer to About Your Lobsters for proper cooking times! Remove from water
immediately!
Cooking Test, Lobster meat should be pure white, opaque and elastic.
Walking legs will pull out easily from the body. Tomalley will be green and firm.
Roe (found in some female lobsters) will be bright red and firm. If it is black and oily the lobster is undercooked. The most popular way to serve the boiled lobster is with a side of drawn butter.
Cap Morrill’s Favorite Lobster Recipes
Cap Morrill’s Lobster Roll
Cap’s doesn't go for the gourmet lobster presentations. He prefers a genuine Maine Lobster roll. It is easy, and makes a delicious lunch. Start with 2-3 oz. fresh Maine Lobster Meat per roll. Cut the meat into bite size pieces. Mix the meat with your desired amount of real mayonnaise. Cap likes his lobster meat served in a warm hot dog roll. Butter both sides of the roll and grill in a frying pan until golden brown. Add a bed of crisp lettuce, and your fresh Maine Lobster Meat. Sprinkle some paprika on top and you will have a sandwich that is sure to please. A great way to use any highly unlikely leftovers from last night’s dinner.
Delicious Lobster Salad
Cap's delicious lobster salad is perfect for a light meal. Fresh Maine Lobster Meat has less cholesterol, calories, and saturated fats, than both skinless chicken and turkey. As long as you avoid the drawn butter, it is a very healthy source of protein.
Start with 3-4 oz. fresh Maine Lobster Meat per person. Mix in a small amount of mayonnaise. Place on a bed of mixed romaine and iceberg lettuce. Tomatoes, celery or other fresh vegetables make a nice addition.
Super Steamed Clams
Cap’s has spent years perfecting the art of cleaning the sand out of our famous Cap Morrill’s Steamer Clams. The soft shell clams that are native to Maine are harvested from sand and mud flats. Because of that, most clams that you buy contain a fair amount of sand in them. When you purchase your Cap Morrill’s Steamer Clams from us, you will receive the cleanest, best tasting clams available anywhere.
The best part is they are so easy to cook. Start with a pot that looks too big. You'll be happy to have the extra space. Start with about 1" of water in the bottom and add your clams. Put on high heat and stand by. Steamers contain a lot of natural juice, so you can expect plenty of bouillon when they are done. When they start to steam, be on your toes. If your pot isn't big enough they will often boil over. It takes about 10-12 minutes of hard steaming for them to cook. The shells will gap wide open and the meats should slide out of the shell without sticking. Don't forget to remove the black membrane that covers the neck (siphon) before eating. Serve with the bouillon from cooking and drawn butter. When purchasing, figure on 2 ½ - 3 lbs. per person for a main course, somewhat less as a side dish with your fresh Maine Lobsters.
Traditional Maine Lobster Stew
It gets mighty cold in Maine come winter. One of Cap’s favorites is a piping hot bowl of Maine Lobster Stew. Lobster Stew can be served as soon as it is made, but the flavors improve when it is allowed to sit overnight.
| 4 FRESH LOBSTERS | 4 Tablespoons butter | | Reserve liquid from lobsters | | 1 pint heavy cream | | Quart of milk | salt and pepper | | Steam or boil the lobsters eighteen minutes, place cooked lobsters on several platters to cool
and catch the juices. After the lobsters have cooled, pick meat from lobsters.
Remove green liver (tomalley) and any coral (roe) found. After all the meat is picked out,
sauté tomalley and roe in 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy cooking pot. After three
minutes, put more butter and some of the lobster meat into the pot.
Repeat this until all the lobster meat has been sauté for five to ten minutes. Add the cream,
the reserved juice, and the milk. Simmer uncovered on low heat for several hours,
taking care not to boil. Salt and pepper to taste.
To enhance the flavor of the lobster stew, make the day before you plan to serve.
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BAKED STUFFED MAINE LOBSTER
| 4 FRESH LOBSTERS | 3 cups bread crumbs or crackers | | Melted butter | 1 can minced clams and liquid | | 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce | 1 can clam juice | | 1/2 tsp. celery salt | crushed 1/4 tsp. pepper | | 2 tbsp. horseradish | Grated cheese (optional) | | Tomalley and roe from lobsters (optional)
| | Combine crackers, clams and liquid.
Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, pepper, 1/4 cup butter and clam juice.
Hold the live lobster firmly and with a large knife cut an opening in the
stomach head to tail. Split open. Remove stomach and intestinal vein: discard.
Remove greenish tomalley and coral roe (if any) and add to stuffing mixture.
Fill each lobster's body cavity with stuffing mixture; place shell side down on broiler pan.
Brush with butter. Place in oven on top rack. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.
About five minutes before the lobster is done, you may sprinkle cheese over the stuffing to melt.
Lobsters can be prepared ahead of time and cooked when ready. |
LOBSTER NEWBURG SUPREME | 4 FRESH LOBSTERS | 1 c. heavy cream | | Butter | 3 egg yolks | | 1/4 c. brandy | Seasonings to taste | | Steam the lobsters and pick out the meat. Cut lobsters in large pieces.
Cook lobster in small amount of butter for 5 minutes over low heat.
Add brandy; ignite. Blend cream and egg yolks in double boiler.
Cook, stirring until mixture coats spoon; add lobster and seasonings.
Serve hot in toast cups, patty shells or over rice. Serves 6.
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GRILLED LOBSTERS W/ CHAMPAGNE BUTTER | 4 FRESH LOBSTERS | 1 lemon; juiced | | 2 sticks butter or margarine | 2 cups champagne | | Place lobster shell side down. Cut body from head to tail with sharp knife, splitting open.
Remove heart and intestinal vein. Melt butter in sauce pan and add lemon juice and champagne.
Place split lobster shell side down on grill over med. heat approx. 5 inches from heat source.
Brush well with butter mixture and cook for 8 min.
Turn lobsters, cook for another 8 minutes, turn again,
brush well and continue to cook until meat turns opaque.
Best to cook lobsters with top of grill down.
Brush with champagne sauce just before serving.
The remaining sauce can be used for dipping at the table.
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LOBSTER PATE | 4 FRESH LOBSTERS | 3 lbs soften cream cheese | | 1 cup sour cream
| 2 tbsp. each of minced parsley, chives, tarragon,
1/2 lemon; juice chervil salt and pepper to taste
| | Steam the lobsters and pick out the meat. Combine all ingredients in an electric blender.
Mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. If mixture is too thick, add additional
sour cream to reach desired texture. Mold onto a serving platter and garnish
with assorted cracker and vegetable sticks. Serves 16-20.
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LOBSTER MOUSSE
| 4 FRESH LOBSTERS | | 2 1/2 cups water | 2 envelopes gelatin | | 1 small onion; chopped | 1/2 tsp. white pepper | | 1/4 cup chopped green pepper | 1/2 tsp. tarragon | | 1/2 cup mayonnaise | 1 tbsp. lemon juice | | 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce | 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped | | Steam the lobsters and pick out the meat. Begin this recipe in the morning so the
mousse has time to set. Place the water in a large skillet; sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Cook over low heat until the gelatin is dissolved. Add onion, white pepper and tarragon. Heat to boiling and then reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove lobster from liquid. Strain liquid into a 4 cup measure. Add mixture and refrigerate
until thickened. Puree thickened mixture with mayonnaise, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce. Add green pepper. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into 5 cup mold and refrigerate until set. To serve, unfold on lettuce and garnish. Serves 8 as an appetizer. |
LOBSTERS STEAMED IN VODKA
| 4 FRESH LOBSTERS | 3/4 cup vodka | | 3/4 cup water | 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon | | 5 tbsp. cold butter in 5 pcs | | Bring water and vodka to a rapid boil in a large kettle. Add lobsters one at a time,
cover and return water to boil. Cook for 16 -18 minutes. Remove lobster with tongs and
save liquid. Pour remaining liquid into sauce pan and boil down until 3/4 of a cup remains.
Whisk in cold butter piece by piece. Add tarragon. Serve sauce with lobsters.
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LOBSTER PRIMAVERA
| 4 FRESH LOBSTERS | lemon; cut in half | | 2 quarts water | 8 oz. scallops | | 4 oz. smoked salmon | 1/2 cup vegetable oil | | 1/2 cup sour cream | 1/4 cup lemon juice | | 1/2 cup fresh, chopped dill
| | 1 small clove garlic; crushed
| | 1 cup diced, ripe tomatoes
| | 2 tbsp. green onion; chopped
| | 1 tsp. black pepper | 11oz. linguine, cooked | | Steam the lobsters and pick out the meat. Heat the water and lemon to boiling.
Reduce the heat and add the scallops. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove and pat dry.
Combine vegetable oil, sour cream, lemon juice, dill and garlic. Add scallops, smoked salmon,
lobster and remaining ingredients. Toss well. Let stand covered at room temperature for 1 hour.
Cook pasta. Drain and toss immediately with seafood mixture. (Ensure that the pasta is hot so
that the seafood mixture does not make it cold). Serves 6.
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Mystery Recipe
| 4 lbs crab meat | 3 cups bread crumbs | | 8 large eggs | 3 cups chopped spring onions | | 1 cup chopped parsley | 3 Tbsp mustard | | 1 Tbsp salt | 1 Tbsp pepper | | Beat eggs; add seasonings, onions, and parsley-set aside. Drain the crabmeat and then work in the bread crumbs. Add egg mixture and mix well. Use 1/3 of a cup measure, yields 30 crab cakes. Deep fry 3 minutes @ 325 degrees. If frozen, take out before cooking.
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Apple-Oatmeal Crisp
| 3 cups apples | 1 cup sugar | | 1 Tsp. Salt | ¼ cup water | | 2 cups brown sugar | 2 cups oatmeal | | 1½ cup flour | 1 Tsp. Cinnamon | | ¾ cup shortening
| | Apples in pan, 8 x 11 cover with sugar, ¼ tsp. Salt, and water. Mix brown sugar, oatmeal, flour, remaining salt, cinnamon, and shortening in bowl until well mixed. Pour on top of apple mix. Then Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until apples are tender. |
Scallops Au Gratin
| 10 lbs. Scallops | ½ lb. Melted butter | Cook scallops in melted butter until cooked but no yellow, until juice is over the scallops. (The scallops will make their own juice). Drain off the juice good and save it for sauce. Pour in flat pan. Put 1-10 oz can of sweet pimentos, chopped fine and 1 can of mushrooms (16 oz) on top of scallops.
Sauce: Take scallop juice and add 1 gallon of milk. Put over medium heat. Add 1 ¼ lbs. White or yellow America cheese. Melt the cheese, stirring most of the time. When cheese is melted, thicken sauce with (roux made of oleo and flour). After sauce is thick enough, turn burner off. Spice Sauce with 5 tsp. Prepared mustard, 3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp prepared horse radish, ½ cup sherry wine, salt and white pepper to taste. Pour sauce over scallops to cover well. Use remainder of sauce of “Newburgh” sauce. |
Finnan Haddie
| 2-3 Tbsp. Plain flour | 2 tsp. Dry mustard | | 2 Tbsp. Vinegar | 2 oz. Butter | | (Optional but very good-tbsp chopped capers or small gherkins finely chopped.) | Either makes a roux or blend flour, mustard with milk-pour on the water from the poached (gently simmered fish) and cook while adding milk until it makes thick sauce, add pepper and vinegar to taste.
Alternative: add a tbsp. of salad cream.
The water from the cooked fish is always used whichever way you make the sauce, and as it is really salty from the cured fish and also slightly colored looks creamy and needs no salt added. You can pour the sauce back over the fish and gently break or flake the fish up in it (called ‘kedgeree’) or serve the fish in pieces and pour it over. |
Cheese Dip
| 2 lb cream cheese | 2 lb cottage cheese | | 1 1/3 lb sharp cheddar cheese | 2 lb blue cheese |
| 2 sm cans pimento | 1 large onion | | 2 green peppers | 2 Tbsp salt | | 1 Tbsp pepper | 6 shakes Worcestershire sauce | | 3 shakes Tabasco sauce | Garlic powder | | Mix and blend thoroughly. |
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