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
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...
Starting with pistachio shells in my little gas smoker, instead of smoking chips...
I began with high heat and then turned it down to med-high... (smoking a total of 20 minutes)...
The above scenery gives you the winter feel still - about 20 degrees outside and I am now officially "ready" for summer!
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...
About 4.75 pounds together (2 of them)...
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...
And one tablespoon red wine vinegar...
And whisked that up...
And added 6 tablespoons olive oil and whisked that too..
And I got a salad together of chopped mango, shallot, basil, and tomato...
The lobsters came off the smoker (20 minutes exactly)...
For another dressing, I put 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes into a bowl...
With a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime...
And then added 1/2 teaspoon "Kiawe wood cold smoked Hawaiian sea salt" and whisked that...
And added 6 tablespoons of olive oil...
A while I removed the lobster meat from the shells, I literally DRANK the smoked tomalley down and it was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Warm, sultry, savory, and almost custard-like when smoked, it was delicious, and by far the best downright magical part of these great lobsters!!!!
I have no idea why this person keeps "photo bombing" me, but so be it...
And soon enough, I was in the tropics!
The coffee sea salt & red wine vinegar dressing getting tossed on the mango salad...
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...
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!
I must say, that SMOKED lobster, especially the Tomalley, is the very best!
And this mango salad with the coffee sea salt was so beautiful to me and vitamin packed and I loved it!
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
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
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...
Starting with pistachio shells in my little gas smoker, instead of smoking chips...
I began with high heat and then turned it down to med-high... (smoking a total of 20 minutes)...
The above scenery gives you the winter feel still - about 20 degrees outside and I am now officially "ready" for summer!
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...
About 4.75 pounds together (2 of them)...
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...
And one tablespoon red wine vinegar...
And whisked that up...
And added 6 tablespoons olive oil and whisked that too..
And I got a salad together of chopped mango, shallot, basil, and tomato...
The lobsters came off the smoker (20 minutes exactly)...
For another dressing, I put 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes into a bowl...
With a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime...
And then added 1/2 teaspoon "Kiawe wood cold smoked Hawaiian sea salt" and whisked that...
And added 6 tablespoons of olive oil...
A while I removed the lobster meat from the shells, I literally DRANK the smoked tomalley down and it was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Warm, sultry, savory, and almost custard-like when smoked, it was delicious, and by far the best downright magical part of these great lobsters!!!!
I have no idea why this person keeps "photo bombing" me, but so be it...
And soon enough, I was in the tropics!
The coffee sea salt & red wine vinegar dressing getting tossed on the mango salad...
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...
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!
I must say, that SMOKED lobster, especially the Tomalley, is the very best!
And this mango salad with the coffee sea salt was so beautiful to me and vitamin packed and I loved it!
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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