Surf and Turf New England Style
Lobster Bisque
Steak and Leek Pot Pie
Creamy Polenta
Summer Berry Galette
Lobster bisque
INGREDIENTS
1⁄2 lb lobster meat, cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1⁄4 cup white wine
2teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 tablespoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon paprika
1 cup hot water
1 teaspoon lobster base (better than boulion)
4 ounces tomato paste
2 bay leaves
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons butter
DIRECTIONS
In a saute pan heat a little oil over med-high heat and saute shallots, onions, and garlic for one minute.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine.
Add the worcestershire, tabasco, and thyme and saute for another minute.
Deglaze the pan with the sherry.
Add the paprika, hot water and lobster base and combine well.
Stir in tomato paste and add the bay leaves.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Whisk in heavy cream and the butter and bring to a boil.
Add the lobster and simmer until cooked through.
Serve with crusty garlic bread.
Beef and leek pot pie
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons butter, divided
6 oz beef tenderloin cubed
3/4 cups peeled red potatoes, 1/3 inch cubes (5-6oz)
3/4 cup chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 1 medium)
1⁄4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup beef stock
1/2 tablespoon steak sauce
1 large green onion, chopped
Puff pastry to cover top
1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)
DIRECTIONS
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Add beef to skillet and cook until they have nice color, transfer to 8” pyrex. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet. Add potatoes, leeks, and dry mustard. Stir 2 minutes and then sprinkle with flour and cook another minute. Add beef stock, reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the beef in the pyrex and any accumulated juices to skillet. Add steak sauce and sauté 2 minutes. Add everything back to the pyrex then Mix in green onions. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Take the puff pastry and top the mixture in the pyrex, brush with egg wash then cut slits into the dough
Bake pies about 20 minutes until browned.
Creamy Polenta
Ingredients
- 1 cup stone-ground polenta
- 4 to 4½ cups water, divided
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- ½ cup smoked gouda cheese
- ¼ cup mascapone
Instructions
- In a blender, pulse the dry polenta to make the granules less coarse. This gives the polenta a creamy texture and helps it cook faster. Remove from the blender and run your hands through the dry polenta to make sure there aren’t any lumps.
- In a medium pot, bring 3 cups of water to a high simmer. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Add 1 more cup of water and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. If your polenta is very thick, whisk in the remaining ½ cup water. The polenta should be creamy.
- Turn off the heat and whisk in the olive oil and cheeses. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Season to taste and serve hot.
Summer Berry Galette
Ingredients
¾ cup strawberry or raspberry jam
4 teaspoons corn starch
1 tablespoon sugar plus more for sprinkling
¾ cup sliced strawberries
¾ cup blueberries
½ cup raspberries
½ cup blackberries
1 pre-packaged rolled pie crust (I use Pillsbury) or homemade dough
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper
Place jam in a microwave-safe, medium-size bowl. Microwave on high power for 30 seconds to “loosen” jam. Add cornstarch and sugar. Stir to combine.
Add fruit to jam mixture and stir gently to combine.
Unroll pie crust and place on prepared sheet pan.
Transfer fruit and jam mixture to center of pie crust. Spread out in an even layer to within 1 ½ inches of edges. (see Café Tips above in post.)
Bring edges of pie crust over fruit, pleating every couple of inches. Sprinkle edges of crust with 1 teaspoon sugar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen custard, if desired.
Galette Dough
Ingredients
Crust
1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for work surface
2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) cold unsalted butter, cubed*
1/4 cup (60ml) ice-cold water, plus more as needed
egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
optional: coarse sugar
Make the crust: Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or 2 forks, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse pea-sized crumbs. Add the water and stir until the flour is moistened. Add 1–2 more Tablespoons of water if the dough seems dry. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using your hands, work the dough into a ball. Flatten it into a thick disc. Wrap the dough disc in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour, and up to 3 days.
As the dough chills, prepare the filling
