Lobster – Tia Maria's Blog

Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / shrimp

June 6, 2017

Seafood Chowder with 1920 Portuguese Brandy

Are you drooling yet? This is my favorite soup which I make every summer after our families Father’s Day clam bake! This is a great way to use up the leftover seafood and corn. Here’s the recipe for the Clam Bake.

I add a little 1920 Portuguese brandy to the broth for an added kick. Serve with an extra shot of brandy to drizzle into the chowder. The flavor is intense, rich and creamy. You’ll never through out that day old lobster again!

Ingredients:

Lobster shells from 3 lobsters

Meat from 1 lobster (or 1-2 cups) chopped into small pieces

1 pound shelled shrimp (raw or cooked)

1 pound little neck clams (with or without shell)

1 pound mussels (with or without shell)

2 cups of corn kernels

2 tbsp of Brandy (I used 1920 Portuguese Brandy)

2 cups fish or chicken stock

1 small onion (finely minced)

1 celery stalk (finely minced)

4 tbsp butter

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp salt

1/2 cup of flour

2 cups of light cream

1/2 gallon of whole or light milk

Lemon wedges for garnish

Parsley for garnish

Preparation:

In a medium pan, place the lobster shells in the stock and milk and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. This will infuse the stock with the lobster. Strain the broth, remove shells and discard shells.

In a large stock pot, saute the onion, and celery in the butter until translucent. Add the flour, and stir until the flour has melted into the butter. Add the seafood, corn, milk broth and remaining ingredients except the cream, brandy, and lobster pieces and stir on low heat. Cook on low for a few minutes.

Cover and continue cooking for 15 minutes on low heat or until thickened. Add the cream, lobster pieces and brandy. Simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes stirring gently. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Note: If you want a thicker chowder milk a little flour with milk in a small bowl and add to the chowder. Cook for a few minutes until thicker.

Serve garnished with lemon wedges and parsley.

Serve with an additional shot of 1920 brandy. Drizzle it into the chowder for a kick!

Appetizers / fish / Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / shrimp

October 12, 2016

Mariscada – Portuguese Shellfish Stew

Mariscada

This is my family’s favorite seafood dish which I learned from a Portuguese chef many years ago. I make it for Christmas Eve dinner every year. The combination of ingredients and spices blend perfectly with the fresh seafood and creates a rich flavorful broth. The seafood will pair perfectly with Portuguese rice.

This recipe is the main dish image page in my; Taste Portugal | 101 easy Portuguese recipes cookbook.

Recipe #47 ————– PORTUGUESE SHELLFISH STEW

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 whole uncooked lobster (chopped into quarters)

1 pound raw, peeled and de-veined Shrimp

1 pound little mussels or little neck clams (washed)

½ pound scallops

½ pound of squid (cut into rings) (optional)

1 small onion (finely chopped)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

¼ cup olive oil

1 cup Vinho Verde or white wine

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (garnish)

Squeeze of lemon juice

Dash of hot sauce (if desired)

Preparation

Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil in a large heavy skillet on medium heat for one minute. Add lobster, and saute for a few minutes on low heat. Add clams, wine, paprika, salt and pepper, cover and let cook for 5 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, shrimp, squid, and scallops, cover and cook on medium heat for another 5 minutes or until the clams open.

Add butter and continue cooking for another 5 minutes for the butter to thicken the sauce.

Taste for saltiness and add hot sauce or more seasonings if desired.

Add the chopped cilantro and top with a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.

Serve with rice.

Note: You may substitute chicken broth with 1 chicken bouillon cube and 1 cup water.

Appetizers / Photo Gallery / Recipes

July 19, 2016

Hot Lobster Roll

Hot Lobster Rolls

I only have 3 words to say; Yum! Yum! Yum!

Makes 2-3 lobster rolls

Meat from 1 cooked lobster

1/2 stick of butter

Juice from 1/2 lemon

pinch of paprika

Hot buttered and toasted buns

Preparation:

Melt butter in a small saucepan, add the lemon juice, lobster meat and paprika.

Heat to warm. Serve on buttered and toasted hot dog buns! Eat slowly and savor each bite!

Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Portuguese Christmas / Recipes / rice

March 5, 2014

Arroz de Marisco – Seafood Rice Casserole

The bountiful seafood in the oceans of Portugal’s sea coast inspires this flavorful Seafood rice that is perfect for a celebration or anytime.

This recipe is inspired from a recipe that I learned many years ago from a Portuguese chef that worked at my brothers Portuguese restaurant!

You can improvise the recipe by adding more of your favorite seafood or omitting some ingredients. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 whole fresh lobster (cut into pieces)

1 pound of uncooked medium shrimp (peeled and deveined)

1 pound of scallops

1 pound of little neck clams (washed)

1 pound of mussels (washed and cleaned)

1 small onion (finely chopped)

1 clove of garlic (finely chopped)

1/2 cup of ripe tomatoes (crushed)

½ of a small, red bell pepper (chopped)

1 cup of uncooked peas

Pinch of Saffron

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups of chicken broth

2 cups of long grain uncooked rice

½ cup of Vinho Verde or white wine

Fresh chopped Cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute the onion, red peppers and garlic in a large deep heavy oven proof skillet or Cataplana pan until translucent.

Add the lobster pieces and brown for a few minutes.

Add the wine, tomatoes, paprika, and salt, and cook for about 5 minutes until reduced.

Add the broth and bring to a boil.

Add the rice and saffron and stir while cooking for about 5 minutes on high heat.

Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Remove the pan from the burner and stir in the peas.

Arrange the shrimp, scallops, clams, and mussels, evenly submerged on top of the rice.

Bake in the oven uncovered for about 30 minutes until the rice and seafood is cooked.

Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

Notes:

You may need to cook the rice longer if you find it’s not fully cooked.

Add more broth if you find the rice too dry and bake or cook for a few minutes longer however Paella rice is typically dry.

Serves 4-6

Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Soups

November 15, 2013

Lobster Corn Chowder

Don’t through away those lobster shells before making this delicious chowder with them!

I used my favorite wine; Vinho Verde to enhance the flavor of this soup instead of regular white wine. If this recipe seems difficult, believe me it’s easy.

This chowder is perfect for your Holiday celebrations! Your friends and family will go crazy and love you for it!

Save some Vinho Verde to serve along with it!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Lobster shells from 3 lobsters

Meat from 1 lobster or 1-2 cups

1 cup of Vinho Verde wine (or any dry white wine)

2 tbsp of Brandy (I used 1920 Portuguese Brandy)

2 cups fish or chicken stock

1 small onion cut in half

1 small onion finely diced

1 celery stalk

1/2 celery stalk finely diced

3 ears of corn

3 tbsp butter

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup of flour

2 cups of light cream

1/2 gallon of whole or light milk

Instructions:

Remove any tomalley (green part) from inside the lobster.

Cut the kernels off the corn and reserve for later. Save the cob for the stock.

In a medium stock pot, place the lobster shells,corn cob, stock, Vinho Verde, Brandy, 1 celery, 1 small onion, and salt.

Cover, let the stock come to a boil, and continue cooking for 20 minutes on low heat.

Remove the cooked onion and celery from the pan and discard. Add the milk and cook for another 10 minutes on low heat. Strain the broth through a fine stainer into a separate bowl to remove any lobster shells. Save the milk broth and discard the shells and corn cob.

In a separate heavy soup pan, saute the diced onion and celery in the butter until translucent.

Add the flour to the butter and cook for about 1 minute on low heat.

Add the reserved broth, cream, paprika, corn, and pepper to the soup.

Cook the chowder on low heat for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add the diced lobster and cook for about 5 minutes longer.

Add more seasoning to taste if desired.

*If you want the soup thicker, mix 1 tbsp of flour with a little milk, add to the soup and let the soup cook for about 5 minutes.

Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

May 23, 2013

Portuguese Style Lobster Bake

Summer party time is here and nothing beats a Portuguese style, New England Lobster Bake! Our family plans 2 bakes a year, with one on Father’s Day!

Don’t worry, you don’t need to bring Dad and dig a hole on the beach for this easy recipe!

Portuguese Chourica is a traditional ingredient in the New England Clam Bake, since the Portuguese fishermen who immigrated to the area began incorporating it into the recipe many years ago. Some people also add raw eggs in the shell to the bake. Once the eggs are cooked, the bake is done.

It’s easy to prepare because all you have to do is put everything in one pot and let it cook on the grill, or even on the stove top!

No plates, needed! Just poor everything onto clean newspapers on top of your picnic table and enjoy!

Easy clean up, just wrap up the newspaper with shells and pop them in the trash!

*Note: All shellfish and vegetables in this recipe are uncooked.

Don’t throw out the leftovers! Make Seafood Chowder. Here’s the recipe!

Serves 8-12

Ingredients:

8 lobsters 1 1/4 pound average (1 or 1/2 per person)

4 lbs steamer clams

2 lbs mussels

2 lbs shrimp

2 chourico sausages (cut into 2 inch pieces)

1 stick of butter or margarine

8 shucked ears of corn

1 large onion cut into fourths

8 – 12 small red potatoes (1 to 2 per person)

1 teaspoon salt (Only if you do not use seaweed)

2 cups Vinho Verde (enough to have 2 inches of liquid in pot)

*Optional – 4 cups or 2 large handfuls of seaweed (you will find it FREE at the store where you buy the lobsters. They will pack your lobsters in it.)

*Optional – 8 raw eggs

Condiments:

Lemon wedges

Melted Butter

1 large steamer pot or a large turkey roaster pan with lid *Note: (you can use 2 large aluminum disposable roasting pans using 1 for cooking and 1 for the lid. This will make it easy clean up!)

Preparation:

Step 1

Wash potatoes, rinse the seaweed and set aside. Wash and clean the mussels and clams. Remove the elastic from lobster claws.

Step 2

Place 1/2 of the seaweed in bottom of the pan. Next , layer the ingredients as follows; Lobster, Onion, Potatoes, Corn, (eggs optional) Chourico, Clams, Mussels and Shrimp last.

Add the wine. Cut up the margarine into a few pieces and place on top of the seafood. Top with the remaining seaweed. Cover. (The bake cooks from bottom up so be sure to place the items that need longer cooking time on the bottom.)

Step 3

Cook for 30 -45 minutes on high heat on grill or stove top. When the potatoes are cooked, the lobster bake is ready to eat!

Save some broth to serve in bowls for cleaning the steamers. Save any leftovers to make seafood chowder!

*Note: How to tell a lobster is cooked

The meat inside the lobster will be firm, white and opaque. The tomalley, which fills much of the body cavity will be greenish-yellow.
The roe in female lobsters will be bright orange-red and firm. If it is a dark greenish-black, with an oily tar-like consistency, the lobster is under cooked.

Be sure to have lots of Vinho Verde, since it’s the perfect wine for seafood! Go all out and make fresh Pao Milho to serve with the bake!

Appetizers / Holiday Recipes / Main Dish / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

March 23, 2012

Baked Lobster a Maria

Happy New Year 2014 to all my fans and supporters of Tia Maria’s Blog!

This recipe for Lobster Maria, Baked Scallops wrapped in Bacon and Brocolli Rabe with Presunto, will be a hit for your New Years Celebrations! Enjoy!

Since I began making this easy recipe, I rarely order lobster out unless I’m dining at the shore. I know you’ll never have to go out to a restaurant for lobster again!

If you have a hard time killing the lobsters yourself, just ask the Seafood clerk to split them in half for you (however, be sure to have them put the lobster on ice for you, and cook it within a couple of hours).

My family exits the kitchen, thus leaving me with the honor of performing the evil dead of splitting the lobsters in half.

I don’t enjoy this and I admit that I do it as quickly as possible closing my eyes when I feel the knife cracking the shell.

Since I usually make this recipe for special occasions, I also make other family favorites; Bacon Wrapped Scallops and Sauteed Broccoli Rabe (Grillos) with Presunto.

This meal is simple to make, but it has a very upscale restaurant look for your next diner party when you want to treat your guests to something special! Enjoy!

Recipe:

Baked Lobster a Maria

Ingredients:

4 Lobsters split into halves

1 cup Panko Bread crumbs

10 Ritz crackers

4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup Italian parsley

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 stick butter or margarine

Instructions:

Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse about 6-8 times until all of the ingredients are fine.

Place the lobster halves in a large baking dish facing shell down.

Spread the breadcrumb mixture over the lobsters and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm with melted butter.

Bacon Wrapped Scallops:

Ingredients:

8 large fresh Sea Scallops

4 slices of thick cut bacon

Instructions:

Slice bacon strips in half and cook until slightly browned.

Wrap each piece around the scallop and secure with a toothpick.

Cook at 350 for about 10-15 minutes.

Broccoli Rabe with Presunto

Ingredients:

1 bunch of fresh Broccoli Rabe

1/4 cup of minced onion

3 slices of chopped presunto

1/4 cup of Olive oil

Instructions:

In a large pan bring water to a boil. Add the Broccoli Rabe and cook for about 5 minutes. Take out the Broccoli Rabe and strain in colander to remove excess water. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the onions and Presunto until crispy. Add the Broccoli Rabe and continue sauteing for about 10 minutes until the Broccoli is tender. Drizzle some olive oil over the top when ready to serve. Enjoy!