Grilled Lobster Tails with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

I served this with my Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto for Mother's Day and paired it with Chateau de L'Aulée, Touraine Brut Intense, NV.

Ingredients:
4 lobster tails, split lengthwise in half
Zest and juice of 1 Meyer lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Preheat grill on medium heat. Whisk zest, juice, garlic, olive oil, and butter together in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Brush some of the vinaigrette onto the skin side of the lobster tails. Place the tails skin side down on the grill. Grill for 3-4 minutes and flip lobster tails so that the shell side is down. Baste lobster tails with vinaigrette. Grill for 3-4 more minutes until lobster is opaque. Baste one more time with the vinaigrette and serve. Drizzle any extra vinaigrette over the lobster tails.

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

This served as the starch and the vegetable for Mother's Day dinner. I served the grilled lobster on top of the risotto and paired the dish with Chateau de L'Aulée, Touraine Brut Intense, NV.

Ingredients:
6-8 cups chicken stock
1.5 lbs. assorted fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 tbsp. thyme
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used a pinot grigio)
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
While prepping the asparagus and mushrooms pour the chicken stock into a stock pot and bring to a simmer.

Fill large stock pot half way with water and bring to boil. Salt water. Add asparagus and blanch for 3-4 minutes. Immediately put asparagus into an ice bath. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, add 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter and melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms are soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

Coat a large stock pot or dutch oven with 2 tbsp. olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Add rice and stir for 2 minutes to toast. Add wine and stir until the wine is completely absorbed by the rice. Add between 1/2 and 1 cup chicken stock to the rice. (I used a soup ladle and don't measure exactly.) Stir until completely absorbed. Continue to add chicken stock by the ladle-full, stirring each time until stock is absorbed before adding more, until the rice is tender and creamy, but still firm to the bite. This should take about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add in one final ladle-full of stock, 1 tbsp. butter, parmigiano reggiano, lemon zest, mushrooms, and asparagus and stir until butter is melted. Garnish with additional parmigiano reggiano and serve.

Mussels Mariniere

I made this dish as an appetizer for Mother's Day. One of my mom's absolute favorite dishes is the mussels from Fat Hen in Charleston, SC. When we were at the Fat Hen, I asked about their recipe and was told that there were 2 pounds of butter in the mussels. Using the Fat Hen mussels as inspiration, I cut down on the butter and added a few other ingredients for my own take on mussels mariniere.

Ingredients:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 leek, halved, chopped, and washed (leeks have a lot of dirt and sand in them, so washing before cooking is necessary)
2 shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 springs thyme
1 cup dry white wine (I used pinot grigio)
2 lbs. mussels
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Let mussels soak in bowl of cold water for 30 minutes. Scrub mussels and remove the beard from each mussel. Discard any mussels that are broken or will not tightly shut. Set aside.

In a large stockpot heat butter over medium heat. Add leek and shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add mussels and thyme to the pot and stir. Add wine and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let steam for 8-10 minutes or until mussels open, shaking the pot a few times while cooking. Discard any mussels that didn't open. Serve with a crusty bread or baguette for dipping.
 

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:

3 lbs. tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 small red onion, diced 

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 jalepeño, minced 

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Pinch cumin

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and let chill before serving; this allows the flavors to really come together. 

Guacamole

Ingredients:
3 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 lb. vine ripe tomatoes
Zest of 1 lime
1 tbs. olive oil if avocados not ripe
1/3 cup minced red onion
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 jalepeño minced (seeds removed)

Directions:
Mix avocado halves and lime juice in a large bowl. Mash with fork or potato masher until desired consistency achieved. Add olive oil if necessary. Mix in cilantro, tomatoes, onion, cumin, salt and jalepeño.

Fish and Shrimp Tacos with Citrus Vinaigrette Coleslaw

Cinco de Mayo is typically one of my favorite holidays. This year, however, I spent Cinco de Mayo driving in the rain with a U-haul for 11 hours after moving my sister out of her  college apartment. Since we missed out on Cinco de Mayo we decided to celebrate Seis de Mayo with these fish and shrimp tacos. The fish and shrimp have a bold flavor because of the marinade and taste great in a taco with my cabbage slaw.


Ingredients:
1 lb halibut (or other white fish)
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
Flour or corn tortillas
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Chipotle in adobo, 1 chipotle chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ancho chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:
Combine cilantro, chopped chipotle, 1 tbsp. adobo, cumin, ancho chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, zest of one lime, and 3 tbsp. olive oil in ziplock bag. Stir well. Add fish and shrimp and let marinate 1 hour. Preheat grill on medium. Add juice of 1/2 lime to marinade and let marinate 5 more minutes. Don't add the lime juice until the last 5 minutes or the lime juice will cook the fish and shrimp. Skewer shrimp. Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill fish for 3-4 minutes per side or until flaky. Grill shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side or until cooked through. Serve with tortillas and slaw.

Citrus Vinaigrette Coleslaw:

Ingredients:
1 head cabbage, julienned
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Whisk lime juice, olive oil, and cilantro in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with cabbage in large bowl. Serve with fish and shrimp tacos.

Tiziano Prosecco NV

This past weekend my youngest sister graduated from college. My family went out for a celebratory dinner and toasted with this bottle of prosecco from Northern Italy. It is light and refreshing with a hint of honey and notes of peach and pear. I would serve this as an apertif or with a light meal.

Price: $12.00

Ratings:
Taste: 3
Value: 3
Drinkability: 4.5
Effervescence: 2
Overall: 12.5