A New England Lobster Favorite

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Rob & Jen with a day's catch

Rob and Jen with lots of a day’s catch

Having lived on the coast of Long Island for many years, lobstering was my husbands hobby, and what a great hobby that was!  I learned how to open a lobster in no time flat and how to cook lobster many ways.  My daughter, Jenny, had a favorite.  We called it “lazy man lobster roll”.  Pretty simple to make once you have removed the meat from the lobster.  Simply heat a skillet, add some butter (more is better), melt butter and add your cooked lobster meat, heat over medium high heat until lobster is heated thoroughly.

This July, for Bob’s birthday, I decided to fly in some lobsters from Maine for a special birthday treat.  Days of going out and pulling pots have long been over.  Since I was also appearing on CBS affiliate WREG “Live at 9” the morning of his birthday, I decided to prepare Jen’s favorite for the segment, “lazy man lobster roll”, along with a very yummy Asian Slaw.  Hope you enjoy the recipes as much as we enjoyed eating our lobster dinner birthday night.

Bob's BD Dinner

Bob’s BD Dinner

 

Asian Slaw Ingredients:

1 (12 ounce) package coleslaw mix (preferably an Asian blend)
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Ground Ginger
½-1 teaspoon wasabi powder
¼ teaspoon Spice Islands® Garlic Powder
¼ cup Mazola® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Spice Islands® Sesame Seeds, lightly toasted*

Instructions:

Empty slaw mixture into a medium size mixing bowl and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl combine honey, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, wasabi powder and garlic power. Whisk until well blended. Slowly pour in oil, whisking continuously to emulsify dressing. Add sesame seeds and pour over greens. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight, if possible.

*To toast sesame seeds, place in a dry non-stick skillet over medium heat and toss until lightly golden.IMG_3236Buon Appetito!

 

BEST Way to Cut a Watermelon

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I LOVE watermelon….now with the seedless varieties its even more desirable, no more “spitting the seeds out”! Here is a little history thanks to Wikipedia

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus, family Cucurbitaceae) is a vine-like (scrambler and trailer) flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind (exocarp) and fleshy center (mesocarp and endocarp). Pepos are derived from an inferior ovary, and are characteristic of the Cucurbitaceae. The watermelon fruit, loosely considered a type of melon – although not in the genus Cucumis – has a smooth exterior rind (usually green with dark green stripes or yellow spots) and a juicy, sweet interior flesh (usually deep red to pink, but sometimes orange, yellow, or white).

A watermelon contains about 6% sugar and 91% water by weight. As with many other fruits, it is a source of vitamin C.

The amino-acid citrulline was first extracted from watermelon and analyzed.[10] Watermelons contain a significant amount of citrulline and after consumption of several kilograms, an elevated concentration is measured in the blood plasma; this could be mistaken for citrullinaemia or other urea cycle disorders.[11]

Watermelon rinds, usually a light green or white color, are also edible and contain many hidden nutrients[vague], but most people avoid eating them due to their unappealing flavor. They are sometimes used as a vegetable.[12] In China, they are stir-fried, stewed or more often pickled. When stir-fried, the skin and fruit is removed, and the rind is cooked with olive oil, garlic, chili peppers, scallions, sugar and rum. Pickled watermelon rind is also commonly consumed in the Southern US.[13] Watermelon juice can be made into wine.[14]

Watermelon is mildly diuretic[15] and contains large amounts of carotenoids.[16] Watermelon with red flesh is a significant source of lycopene. Preliminary research indicates the consumption of watermelon may have antihypertensive effects.[17]

Now, what’s the BEST way to cut up a watermelon you might ask?  Well, this has been on Facebook and I thought it was brilliant..so here you go.  Start out with a cutting board and a sharp knife.   Cut your watermelon in half lengthwise, then cut widthwise.

Watermelon

Watermelon

Next, make one-inch slices widthwise and then lengthwise, see below….photo 2You now have a watermelon that is so easy to eat, a great snack for anyone to grab and go.

Grab and Go Watermelon

Grab and Go Watermelon

Boun Appetito!