There are many people that can breathe a sigh of relief now that Christmas 2007 is now a memory. There are also those of us who are looking forward to this coming Monday and the final day of 2007. On Tuesday, many will resolve to change their calorie consumption habits, but I don't. For me, nothing is better than yearly splurge to celebrate the New Year. This week, I find inspiration for this annual, special meal from a thoughtful Christmas gift.
When you write a food column, you tend to receive many gifts that revolve around the subject. I was very grateful to receive two aprons, two bottles of very fine olive oil, a fantastic bottle of balsamic vinegar and a gift card to a specialty food store, just to name a few. I also received two cookbooks. One was the new Rachel Ray cookbook from my Aunt Jo Ann.
The other cookbook came from my dear friend, Tasha. Before I opened it, she warned me that I might think the gift was a little strange. Under the pretty paper was Steve Raichlen's book, "How To Grill." I suppose Tasha thought I would think the cookbook was a little strange since Raichlen may seem like my arch nemesis and my competition. But, I am sure that there are methods in his book that I have never heard of.
With the New Year just around the corner, I began to flip through the book for that perfect recipe in honor of such a day. I came across one for grilled lobster, a fitting recipe this year. My mom enjoyed lobster at the New Year. This year in particular, it seemed like a very fitting meal for Jan. 1.
In order to stretch the budget, something was needed to complement the lobster while remaining in that once a year category. I came upon a whole grilled filet of beef.
Lobster and filet of beef are a great way to ring in the New Year. Not only do they complement each other, but they also complement your favorite sparkling wine. When you get ready to celebrate, I cannot think of a better meal to start the year with. If you plan on starting one of those New Year diets, I suggest waiting until Jan. 2.
Grilled Split Lobster
(From Steve Raichlen, "How To Grill"; Serves 4 halves)
2 lobsters, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds each
8 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons fresh chives, optional
course salt and black pepper
Step 1: Heat grill to a high heat.
Step 2: Cut the lobsters in half. Remove the papery sacs from the heads and the veins from the tails. Remove the claws. Turn the lobster over a bowl to collect the juices, Combine the butter and chives, if using.
Step 3: When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the lobster claws on the hot grate and cover the grill. Grill for 3 minutes. Brush the cut side of each lobster in half with some butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, place cut-side down on the grill and grill for 3 minutes. Turn, add the reserved juices and grill cut-side up for 6 to 8 minutes more, until the flesh is firm, white and just cooked, basting with some of the butter. Do not overcook. The claws will be cooked in 12 to 14 minutes in all and the body in 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 4: Transfer the lobsters to plates or a platter and serve with the remaining melted butter.
Step 1: Truss the beef tenderloin with heavy-duty kitchen twine.
Step 2: Transfer the tenderloin to a baking sheet and generously drizzle oil on it. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and thickly coat it with the garlic and chopped herbs, patting these onto the meat with your fingertips. You can cook the tenderloin right away, but it will be more flavorful if you let it sit in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 to 2 hours.
Step 3: Heat the grill to a medium high heat setting.
Step 4: When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the tenderloin on the hot grate. Grill the tenderloin, turning with tongs, until crusty and darkly seared on the outside and cooked to a medium-rare, 6-8 minutes per side, cooking the tenderloin on all 4 sides (about 30 minutes in all). To test for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the tenderloin: the internal temperature should be about 145 degrees F.
Step 5: Transfer the tenderloin to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the string; carve the tenderloin into crosswise slices and serve.
Mitch Mariani Mitch L. Mariani II is a self-taught amateur chef. Questions, comments and suggestions can be directed to him via e-mail at mixedgrillsouthvalley@yahoo.com. For tips and recipes, visit www.geocities.com/mixedgrillsouthvalley. His column runs weekly.
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