Lobster Eggs Benny with Two-Step Hollandaise Sauce
Lobster Crepe with Sweet Carrot Puree
Green Eggs and Ham Lobster Scrambled Eggs
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday … After a long Saturday night at one of our Rock Lobster restaurant locations, I’d love to sleep in on the Sunday morning, but that’s not always possible. I don’t usually have much time in the morning before heading to work, so a quick and easy recipe is my preference.
SERVES 4
Two-Step Hollandaise Sauce
4 egg yolks
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup salted butter, melted
Eggs Benny
2 fresh frozen lobster tails, steamed and meat removed
1 Tbsp white vinegar
Pinch of kosher salt
4 eggs
2 English muffins
4 slices peameal bacon (Canadian bacon)
3 chives, finely chopped
4–6 Tbsp Two-Step Hollandaise Sauce
1. For the sauce, in a food processor, combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, mustard, and cayenne pepper. Blend for 5 to 10 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. With the machine running on high speed, pour the melted butter into the egg yolk mixture to thicken. If the sauce is too thick, slowly add 1 Tbsp of warm water at a time to the mixture and blend again.
2. Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and simmer, uncovered, over low heat to keep warm. Do not boil.
3. Cut the lobster meat into large bite-sized pieces and place it in a bowl.
4. For the eggs, fill a medium-sized saucepan with water to 3 inches deep and add the white vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Crack the eggs into the water, then turn off the heat immediately and let the eggs cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they float. When the eggs are done, remove them from the saucepan with a slotted spoon, and then place them on paper towel to dry if necessary.
5. While the eggs are cooking, split the English muffins in two and toast them. While the muffins are toasting, heat a large frying pan to medium-high heat. Cook the bacon (no need to add oil) until crispy, then set on paper towel to absorb any excess fat.
6. To serve, place a slice of bacon on top of each muffin half, then spoon on some lobster chunks. Add an egg on top of each one, then some sauce and a sprinkle of chopped chives.
NOTE: Feel free to swap the bacon for ham, smoked salmon, sliced shrimps, or thick-cut grilled tomatoes. The Hollandaise Sauce can be prepared in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
This light sweet and savory dish is perfect for a nice little brunch. It also makes a great appetizer.
SERVES 4
Crepes
2 eggs
¾ cup flour
1 bunch chives, finely diced
2 Tbsp salted butter, melted
Kosher salt
1 cup milk
Filling
1 live lobster (about 1 ¼ lb), steamed and meat removed
3 carrots, peeled
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 ½ tsp brown sugar
¼ cup white wine
1 shallot, finely diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup microgreens (pea shoots or micro basil)
1. For the crepes, whisk together the eggs, flour, chives, and butter with a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking. Continue to whisk until smooth.
2. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until hot, then pour a ladleful of crepe batter (about ¼ of the total batter) into the center of the pan. Lift the pan and roll the crepe mixture around so that it coats the entire bottom of the pan. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Using a nonstick metal spatula, lift the edges of the crepe and carefully flip it. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Place the cooked crepe on a plate and allow to cool.
3. Repeat with the remaining batter to make four crepes in total.
4. For the filling, cut the lobster meat into small pieces and place it in a mixing bowl.
5. In a food processor, combine the carrots, butter, and brown sugar, and blend to a very smooth puree. Transfer the puree to a small saucepan.
6. In the mixing bowl, combine the lobster meat, white wine, and shallot with a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well. Transfer to a separate small saucepan.
7. Heat both saucepans over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until the mixtures are heated through. Remove the lobster mixture from the heat. Continue to warm the carrot puree over low heat, stirring occasionally and taking care not to burn it.
8. Lay the crepes flat on a clean work surface and spoon 1 Tbsp of the lobster mixture directly onto the center of each one. Fold in the sides of each crepe to seal them. Flip them over so the seam sides are down.
9. Evenly spoon the carrot puree into four shallow bowls, place a lobster crepe in the middle of each, and garnish with microgreens.
If you’re like me, a big kid at heart, this recipe will remind you of your youth! This recipe comes from my favorite author as a child, the amazing Dr. Seuss. “Try them! Try them! And you may! Try them and you may, I say.”
SERVES 4
1 live lobster (about 1 ¼ lb), steamed and meat removed
8 eggs
¼ cup milk
2 small rounds cooked ham (about ½ lb in total), cut into ½-inch cubes
1 cup baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
¼ cup shredded aged Cheddar cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp salted butter
Hot sauce
½ cup microgreens (pea shoots or micro basil)
1. Cut the lobster meat into medium-sized chunks.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the ham, spinach, bell pepper, cheese, and lobster meat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. In a large nonstick frying pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the egg mixture to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked through. Be careful not to overcook them.
4. Serve the scrambled eggs topped with a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce, the microgreens, and a few slices of toast.
NOTE: You can replace the cooked ham with pancetta or thick-cut smoked bacon.
You may ask, who is Donny? My sous-chef? My general manager? Nope, it’s Mr. P. himself, Don Juan Pettit, my dad. Since my father is of Irish decent, bacon hash made with lobster is the perfect tribute to him in this book.
SERVES 4
1 live lobster (about 1 ¼ lb), parboiled and meat removed, or 2 fresh frozen lobster tails, parboiled and meat removed
4 large Yukon Gold or white potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
8 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces
2 white onions, diced
1 large bulb fennel, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chicken stock
Smoked paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 fresh Gala apple, cut into matchsticks
1. Chop the lobster meat into medium-sized chunks and place it in a bowl.
2. Parboil the potatoes for 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Line a plate with paper towel.
4. In a large saucepan, fry the bacon pieces over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove them from the pan and place them on the prepared plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
5. Return the pan to the heat, add the parboiled potatoes to the bacon fat, and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft and brown. Add the onions, fennel, and garlic and cook until soft, stirring constantly. Add the chicken stock to deglaze the pan, then turn down the heat to medium. Add the lobster meat and mix well to heat through. Add smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir well.
6. Serve the hash on a plate topped with the bacon pieces and garnished with apple.
NOTE: For really awesome potatoes, cut them into cubes and leave them submerged overnight in a large saucepan or bowl of water before boiling them. This will take all the starch out of the potatoes, leaving them crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle when cooked.
I created this recipe to say thanks to Darryl Fine, one of my partners. This guy is a living legend. One of his old restaurants, Shanghai Cowgirl, was a cornerstone of the Toronto food scene. It had a great run for over 13 years and was known for having the best grilled cheese in the city. It made perfect sense to me to bring back his grilled cheese—but with a delicious lobster twist.
SERVES 4
1 live lobster (about 1 ¼ lb), boiled and meat removed
¼ cup salted butter, softened
8 slices sourdough bread
4 slices Havarti cheese
1 bunch fresh rosemary, finely chopped
4 pinches of truffle salt (found at gourmet specialty food stores)
4 slices smoked Gouda cheese
1. Cut the lobster meat into small pieces and place it in a bowl.
2. Butter both sides of the bread slices, going right to the edges.
3. Place a slice of Havarti cheese on the tops of four slices of the bread. Evenly spoon the lobster meat onto each slice, then sprinkle with rosemary and truffle salt. Top each with a slice of smoked Gouda cheese, and another slice of bread.
4. In a large frying pan, fry the sandwiches, two at a time, over medium-high heat for 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining two sandwiches. Serve immediately.
This recipe is an old-school brunch classic. In the UK, it’s traditionally made with sausage and Yorkshire pudding mix, but in North America we know it as a slice of toast with the center cut out and an egg cooked in the middle. My mom used to make this for me (minus the lobster, sadly) as a fun way to eat eggs. If you have small kids, trust me, it works. You can thank me later!
SERVES 4
2 fresh frozen lobster tails, boiled, and meat removed
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 small eggs, beaten
2 small shallots, finely diced
2 small jalapeño peppers, finely diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 slices thick-cut bread
1. Chop the lobster meat into bite-sized pieces.
2. In a large frying pan, melt half of the butter over medium heat.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, shallots, and jalapeños with the lobster meat. Stir well and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Using a small mug or cookie cutter, cut a hole out of the center of each slice of bread, about 2 inches in diameter.
5. Place two slices of bread in the frying pan. Immediately spoon about 2 Tbsp of the egg-lobster mixture into each hole. Fry for 2 minutes without moving the bread. Using a nonstick metal spatula, carefully flip the bread and egg and continue to cook for 1 minute, or until the egg is cooked and the bread is toasted. Remove from the pan and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
6. Melt the remaining butter in the frying pan and repeat with the remaining slices of bread and egg-lobster mixture. Serve immediately.
NOTE: Don’t forget to fry the cut-out bread holes for an extra small bite!
B (Bacon) + L (Lobster) + T (Tomato) = three amazing things combined together! All I know is that I really, really love this sandwich. If you like good things too, this quick and simple recipe may very well be for you. I like to serve these with dill pickles and kettle chips on the side.
SERVES 4
1 live lobster (about 1 ¼ lb), steamed and meat removed, or 2 fresh frozen lobster tails, steamed and meat removed
½ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
1 tsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 slices thick-cut bacon
4 ciabatta buns
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
4 leaves Bibb lettuce
1 tomato, cut into 4 equal slices, with seeds
1. Cut the lobster meat into thick slices and place it in a bowl.
2. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the lemon juice, olive oil, Sriracha sauce, and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the lobster meat slices and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan to medium-high. Cook the bacon (no need to add oil) until crispy, then set on paper towel to absorb any excess fat.
4. Slice the buns in half and butter the insides. Lay one lettuce leaf and one slice of tomato in each bun, then top with the lobster mixture and two pieces of bacon. Cover with the top of the buns, cut them in half, and secure each half with a toothpick.
5. Serve the sandwiches on individual plates with dill pickles and kettle chips.
NOTE: Feel free to use your favorite type of bread. You’ll need toothpicks for this recipe.
