# It's A "Smoked Lobster, Tropical Friday!!!!!!!!!!"



## leah elisheva (Mar 14, 2014)

Well Happy Friday Great Cookies!!!!

This winter is getting ridiculous, and so I decided that an "island day" was indeed needed!

Hence I smoked some lobster and re-created some island-esque salads, via memory, that were similar to some great tastes from my past travels.

And who said one can't bring any place in the world right to their door? Eating at home is better even! (As I can be with my dogs)!!!

Enjoy!!!

Cheers! - Leah













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Some odds and ends indeed needed to be used up, and I figured that some island "things" could be done with much of the above...













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Starting with pistachio shells in my little gas smoker, instead of smoking chips...













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I began with high heat and then turned it down to med-high... (smoking a total of 20 minutes)...













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The above scenery gives you the winter feel still - about 20 degrees outside and I am now officially "ready" for summer!













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My lobsters (this time of year yields FANTASTIC hard shells, and so run don't walk and get some lobsters) went onto the smoker whole...













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About 4.75 pounds together (2 of them)...













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To make some dressings, I put 1/2 teaspoon coffee sea salt (you can use any salt, as I was in an island mood) in a dish...













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And one tablespoon red wine vinegar...













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And whisked that up...













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And added 6 tablespoons olive oil and whisked that too..













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And I got a salad together of chopped mango, shallot, basil, and tomato...













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The lobsters came off the smoker (20 minutes exactly)...













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For another dressing, I put 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes into a bowl...













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With a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime...













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And then added 1/2 teaspoon "Kiawe wood cold smoked Hawaiian sea salt" and whisked that...













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And added 6 tablespoons of olive oil...













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A while I removed the lobster meat from the shells, I literally DRANK the smoked tomalley down and it was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!













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Warm, sultry, savory, and almost custard-like when smoked, it was delicious, and by far the best downright magical part of these great lobsters!!!!













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I have no idea why this person keeps "photo bombing" me, but so be it...













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And soon enough, I was in the tropics!













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The coffee sea salt & red wine vinegar dressing getting tossed on the mango salad...













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And then fresh mint, fresh cilantro, some hearts of palm and raw asparagus and the lobster getting tossed in the lime Kiawe wood smoked sea salt dressing...













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An avocado was supposed to be in this lobster/hearts of palm salad, but it was too hard to even cut, and yet another trip to the store was not going to happen...

Wine was open, bathing suits on, tropical music in the air, smoked lobster on the table - and so forgetting the avocado this one time, was thus allowed!













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I must say, that SMOKED lobster, especially the Tomalley, is the very best!













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And this mango salad with the coffee sea salt was so beautiful to me and vitamin packed and I loved it!













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NEXT TIME, I'd add an avocado to the MANGO SALAD, and add the smoked lobster to that mango salad too, and skip the rest, despite it being wonderful (just too much) as I loved the mango combo the best and think that everything could have been in there.

BUT, this indeed cheered up those winter blahs!!!!!!!!

Happy WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for sharing in my dinner!

Cheers! - Leah


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## bkleinsmid (Mar 14, 2014)

Hey Leah.........what's shaken Baby???  I know.........all over in that cold weather......lol  I don't want to rub it in but......possibility of 80* here by Sunday.....
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






I can't say that I have ever smoked a bug but I do love to split them and put them on the Q with a bit of garlic basil butter and a little squeeze of lemon. My next order of 2.5 lb bugs will be in May and I will have to try the smoker on a couple of them. Thanks for the idea......

Have a great weekend......

Brad


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## leah elisheva (Mar 14, 2014)

Happy Friday Brad!!!!!!!!!!

Good to hear from you!!!

80 degrees??? OK, I think I need to parlay my meals into to some authentic island time!

Meanwhile, yes, grilled is grand too! Although tomalley wise, I love them smoked more, although I could love any tomalley - steamed, grilled, smoked, or diced up and spread over steak! (Surf/turf right)???

OK, please send some of that sunshine and make your weekend delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers!!!!!! - Leah


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## bkleinsmid (Mar 14, 2014)

Back in the day (20 years or so) my hunting/fishing buddy and I (and a bunch of friends) would go together and get a bunch of live crabs and lobsters for a little BBQ. Our job was the BBQ and meat........his wife Jonnie would make a sauce out of the tomalley and coral. That sauce was incredible.......over rice, meat, salad......I think it would make an old sandal taste good. Now to see if I can find that recipe........

Brad


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## leah elisheva (Mar 14, 2014)

Please do!!! I LOVE tomalley and often mix the grilled tomalley with oil, black pepper and minced garlic; but would eat an entire jar of the stuff in just about any form!

Your pal's wife's sauce sounds just out of this world!!!!!!!!

Cheers! - Leah


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## smoking b (Mar 14, 2014)

Wow that's an amazing looking meal!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   I've never smoked a lobster (actually I haven't had any lobster in several months - they aren't that easy to come by in my area  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  )  You can rest assured though - I will be trying one now!  I also like your red chile dressing & will be trying that out as well - thanks for sharing this 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





    Now I need to seek out some lobster


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## leah elisheva (Mar 14, 2014)

Thank you so much Jeremy!! I'm so glad you enjoyed my dressing as well!

Smoked lobster is my favorite way to have lobster - grilled being second!

Happy weekend! It's "wine o'clock!" (Come join our winos group - open to all - if you haven't joined already)!!!!

Cheers!!! - Leah


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## mike johnson (Mar 14, 2014)

As usual its Absolutely Amazing!!!


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## disco (Mar 14, 2014)

Terrific and luxurious meal, Leah. No less than you deserve!

Disco


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## Bearcarver (Mar 14, 2014)

Beautiful, as usual, Leah !!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





You really know how to hurt a guy----Due to the price around here, I haven't had Lobster or even tails in years.

I used to have a neighbor who would take a 7 day tour of New England States (with his wife) every year.

He said he had Lobster 3 meals a day for that week!!!

Bear


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## leah elisheva (Mar 14, 2014)

Thank you tons *Mike!!! *

I'm so happy you have access there and I'm excited to see your food as it sounds like you're eating so fantastically!

And silly me, thinking this is "winter" that we've got over here right? Good to hear from you!!!!

Thank you too *Disco!!! *

I've been enjoying your blog's food shots so much, and I'm so glad you liked today's lobster!!! Here's to eating at home!!!

And thank you so much *Bear!!! *

Actually, the lobsters right now are the best ever, as they're so hard right now, that they are prop full of meat and just better than the watered down shedders of course from summer, but also so much meatier than the early winter lobsters even.

I was pleasantly surprised today with these indeed!

Now is the time where they're right at perfection and very flavorful - even the tail petals or little fin pieces are full of meat and juicy flavor!

Hopefully some prices near you will drop while they're this hard and tasty!!!

And yes, New England has plentiful lobster and thankfully a couple spots with affordable ones even!! What a great story of your pal's travels!!!!

Happy Friday to all!!!

Cheers!!! - Leah


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## eman (Mar 14, 2014)

Dat giant crawfish looks some good. Given me an ahnvy for to smoke dat. I split the bottom side of the tail and inject cajun garlic butter in the tail .Also inject the claws through the hinge,


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## moikel (Mar 15, 2014)

I love it,I can understand that the winter is getting to you.Isnt  it Spring ? 

Some kaffir lime leaf in that salad would give it a lift,sort of a Thai beach feel.

Smoked critters like that unheard of here ,its grilled or boiled.or wok fried.

Your mango & avocado must be coming from far away. Our mango season still running with the later varieties like calypso in the market now. If you are still surrounded by snow where does all that salad stuff come from?


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## leah elisheva (Mar 15, 2014)

Thank you *Eman!!!! *

How fun on your injection tricks!!! I bet you have some really tasty treats right where you are!!! I'm glad you enjoyed this version too!

And thanks too, *Mick!!*

Yes, a couple haunts here have some organic greens and goods all year and so I thankfully can find things (though tomatoes get mighty tricky and scarce all winter) but at least plenty of OCEAN fare exists! I'd cry if that supply became extinct!

This lime leaf stuff you mention always sounds fabulous and yet I've never experimented with such ever. I'm adding that to the list and will look for it!!!

Do keep sending that beachy sunshine!!! (I'm scaring my neighbors entirely, as I run around and smoke/grill in the snow while wearing a bathing suit etc., and yet I keep thinking that if I simply PRETEND that it's already summer, then it will come)????

The power of positive thinking, right???

Happy weekend to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers!!!! - Leah


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## moikel (Mar 15, 2014)

I just thought of kaffir lime leaf because we just transplanted my 2 trees.Its just such a. Tropical ingredient Very fragrant , often put in whole in coconut based broths or finely sliced into Thai salads.
I don't think the tree would survive a winter over there.
We have the luxury f tropical climate in the north but is then about the transport cost.
Big food bowls in the tropics that mean tomatoes are year round.


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## moikel (Mar 15, 2014)

It's your sort of ingredient,raw, distinctive flavour, 100% natural. Great thing with seafood. 
Do you get betel leaf over here? Or any of the  Thai Basil's ,holy or purple? They would be a fit for your cooking  style as well.
That betel  leaf idea where you put your mix of prawn,coconut,pork belly,,etc on the leaf then just pick he whole leaf up & eat it seems your style as well. You could do a lobster with sort Thai flavours,no sauces,just herbs & such then put it on the betel leaf & you just pick the whole lef up & roll it ,1 bite sort of thing.
Let me see if I can get some & show it. Won't be lobstah at Sydney prices!


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## leah elisheva (Mar 15, 2014)

Thanks Mick! that would be great to see/learn!

And your canines will be happy to hear that my dear DOGS of course enjoyed their share of the lobster yesterday as well!!

Cheers!!!! - Leah


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