Lobster Chilaquiles
Ingredients:
For the salsa:
2 to 3 dried morita, guajillo, or chipotle chiles
1 1/2 pounds about 6 ripe Roma tomatoes
1 1/2 pounds about 12 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 white onion, cut into large pieces
2 to 3 fresh jalapeños, stemmed
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the tortilla chips:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas, cut into triangles
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
For the lobsters:
4 1-and-a-quarter to 1-and-a-half pound live lobsters, or you can substitute thawed lobster tails
For the toppings:
1 cup crumbled queso fresco
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Mexican crema, to taste
2 to 3 dried morita, guajillo, or chipotle chiles
1 1/2 pounds about 6 ripe Roma tomatoes
1 1/2 pounds about 12 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 white onion, cut into large pieces
2 to 3 fresh jalapeños, stemmed
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the tortilla chips:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas, cut into triangles
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
For the lobsters:
4 1-and-a-quarter to 1-and-a-half pound live lobsters, or you can substitute thawed lobster tails
For the toppings:
1 cup crumbled queso fresco
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Mexican crema, to taste
Directions:
To make the salsa:
Place the chiles in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and let them sit and soften for at least 10 minutes.
Place the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion chunks, jalapeños, and unpeeled garlic cloves on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Place under the broiler and roast 12 to 15 minutes, flipping a couple times in between, until the skin of tomatoes and tomatillos has completely blistered and charred, they seem very mushy, and their juices have started to come out. The garlic cloves and chiles must also have blackened and charred. Remove from the broiler and let cool.
When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic cloves and place in a blender or food processor along with the jalapeños, tomatoes, tomatillos, and onion. Take the chiles out of the soaking water, remove their stems and seeds, and add to the blender with the rest of the ingredients. Add salt and puree until completely smooth. If you want, you can add the chiles one at a time and taste for heat.
In a medium saucepan, heat one tablespoon oil over medium heat. Once hot, pour in the salsa and quickly cover partially with a lid, as it will splatter all over the place. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring a couple times in between.
To make the tortilla chips:
Place rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 375°F.
Brush a baking sheet with a couple tablespoons of oil. Spread the tortilla pieces all over and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste. Bake the tortilla chips for 25 to 30 minutes or until crisp and golden brown, flipping in between. Remove from the oven when ready.
To cook the lobsters:
Place lobsters on a baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes before cooking.
When ready to cook, place a lobster in the center of a chopping board with the head towards you (you can put some paper towels or a thin kitchen towel under so it will be steady and will soak up any juices that come out). Hold the lobster tightly in place by the tail and place the tip of a very sharp knife where the head separates from the body, with the sharp edge of the knife facing the head. With much determination jab the tip of the knife in and pull the blade down straight between the eyes and onto the chopping board. Repeat with the other 3 lobsters.
Then, flip the lobsters over and cut the tail right down the middle. Clean the inner parts with a spoon.
Preheat an outdoor or indoor grill, or grill pan, on medium-high heat. Generously brush the lobsters with the prepared salsa. Place cut side down flat on the grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Flip to the other side, and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Leave 4 halves of the lobsters intact, just as they came off the grill. Remove the meat from the remaining 4 halves, both from the tail and the claws and coarsely chop.
To make the queso topping:
In a small bowl, combine the crumbled queso, white onion, and cilantro.
To assemble:
Pour the salsa into a large bowl, add the tortilla chips and chopped lobster meat and toss. Divide the chilaquiles among 4 plates and place one of the intact lobster halves on each. Top with the queso topping and Mexican crema to taste.
Place the chiles in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and let them sit and soften for at least 10 minutes.
Place the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion chunks, jalapeños, and unpeeled garlic cloves on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Place under the broiler and roast 12 to 15 minutes, flipping a couple times in between, until the skin of tomatoes and tomatillos has completely blistered and charred, they seem very mushy, and their juices have started to come out. The garlic cloves and chiles must also have blackened and charred. Remove from the broiler and let cool.
When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic cloves and place in a blender or food processor along with the jalapeños, tomatoes, tomatillos, and onion. Take the chiles out of the soaking water, remove their stems and seeds, and add to the blender with the rest of the ingredients. Add salt and puree until completely smooth. If you want, you can add the chiles one at a time and taste for heat.
In a medium saucepan, heat one tablespoon oil over medium heat. Once hot, pour in the salsa and quickly cover partially with a lid, as it will splatter all over the place. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring a couple times in between.
To make the tortilla chips:
Place rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 375°F.
Brush a baking sheet with a couple tablespoons of oil. Spread the tortilla pieces all over and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste. Bake the tortilla chips for 25 to 30 minutes or until crisp and golden brown, flipping in between. Remove from the oven when ready.
To cook the lobsters:
Place lobsters on a baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes before cooking.
When ready to cook, place a lobster in the center of a chopping board with the head towards you (you can put some paper towels or a thin kitchen towel under so it will be steady and will soak up any juices that come out). Hold the lobster tightly in place by the tail and place the tip of a very sharp knife where the head separates from the body, with the sharp edge of the knife facing the head. With much determination jab the tip of the knife in and pull the blade down straight between the eyes and onto the chopping board. Repeat with the other 3 lobsters.
Then, flip the lobsters over and cut the tail right down the middle. Clean the inner parts with a spoon.
Preheat an outdoor or indoor grill, or grill pan, on medium-high heat. Generously brush the lobsters with the prepared salsa. Place cut side down flat on the grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Flip to the other side, and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Leave 4 halves of the lobsters intact, just as they came off the grill. Remove the meat from the remaining 4 halves, both from the tail and the claws and coarsely chop.
To make the queso topping:
In a small bowl, combine the crumbled queso, white onion, and cilantro.
To assemble:
Pour the salsa into a large bowl, add the tortilla chips and chopped lobster meat and toss. Divide the chilaquiles among 4 plates and place one of the intact lobster halves on each. Top with the queso topping and Mexican crema to taste.
Notes:
You can sustitute shrimp, chicken, scallops or another protein for the lobster, you cheap bastard.
Thanks to Pati Jinich for the inspiration.
Thanks to Pati Jinich for the inspiration.