Salt and Pepper Lobster

Due to a miscommunication with my mom regarding the Thanksgiving weekend grocery list, we ended up with about twice the amount of lobster that we needed.  The expense of this was emphasized to us several times by a certain someone.  I will let you guess who.

I don't usually cook lobster. And guess what--I didn't this time either.  I documented what my sister did.  Sure I helped here and there, like cleaning and dish and saying ooh and aah, but basically by the time poured myself a glass of wine, the dish was done.  Yes, my sister's pretty amazing. Rub it in, why don't you.

Adapted from this salt and pepper crab recipe

For lobster: 

• 4 lobster tails (thawed if frozen), halved lengthwise
• Can we pause on this for one moment. I had the one measly but crucial task of splitting the lobster tails, and couldn't even do it. That outer shell is one tough sucker.  The best thing to do is flip the tail so that it's laying on its "back", and plunge your knife through the softer "underbelly".  When you get your blade through the soft side and the meat, finish cutting through the tougher shell with kitchen shears. Or at least that's what I'm told. I made my dad do the rest of them after my initial frustration.  And they call me an adult. Why.
• Enough vegetable, canola or peanut oil to fill a deep fat fryer
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 TBS salt
• 3 TBS ground white pepper
  

For dusting/topping:

• few tsp veggie oil 
• 1 TBS each of salt, ground white pepper, and sugar
• a few green chilis and/or scallions, sliced

Heat oil to 360 degrees (350 is the ideal temperature, but it's good to crank it up a little higher to start so that when you put the fryees in, the temp doesn't go too below 350). 

Hi lobster. Place the halved lobster tails on baking sheet lined with paper towels and dab all over with paper towels to remove excess moisture (this drying will allow the lobsters to form a better crust when you fry them).

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground white pepper in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag.  Dredge each lobster tail in the flour mixture, then remove and shake off excess.

Place a few tails in the fryer (don't overcrowd. do you hear me don't overcrowd).

Are you ready for your bath?

Frying away. Bubble bubble toil and trouble.

Remove when lobster tails are lightly golden brown and cooked through--this only took about 2 minutes.  Set on rack to drain.

Mix together the sugar, salt and white pepper for the "topping".  

Heat few tsp oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Place the lobster tails in and sprinkle with sugar mixture.  Flip/move around tails for about 3 minutes, making sure they're all nicely coated with the topping and until a healthy golden brown.

Remove tails to platter. Pretty.

Deep fry your chilis/scallions/what have you for a few seconds, drain, and sprinkle over lobster.

And that's how she did it. I think. I was just standing there.

Ta-da!