Lobsta!!

I love lobster! Who doesn’t? Since the lobster truck started in LA I have been obsessed! It’s not always easy to catch the truck so when I was walking down 3rd street in West Hollywood and spotted it you can imagine how thrilled I was. Being an East coaster, my love for lobster started at a very young age and continues on. Megan, an old Nantucket friend, who happened to be visiting from New York said, “some things never change!” and she is right! A couple years ago when my good friend Matt Coffin from Machius, Maine aka the “Blueberry Capital of the World” introduced me to crab rolls, I began my love affair with them too. Guess what, the Lobsta Truck has crab rolls too! My husband Stevie has actually started referring to me as the seafood whore. I love everything from clams to caviar! So for you LA based lobster and crab lovers out there, check out their schedule at Lobsta Truck.

Lulu's Lobster Rolls

Serves 8

1 cup mayo 1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 shallots, minced 1 teaspoon sugar Juice of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper 4 cups (2 pounds) cooked lobster meat 8 hot dog buns, toasted

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, tarragon, garlic, shallots, sugar, lemon, salt and pepper. Place the lobster meat in a separate bowl and add as much of the mayonnaise mixture as you like. It purely a matter of taste, so mix carefully and adjust the proportions as desired. Spoon the lobster salad into the toasted hot dog bun.

Lulu's Pesto

1 1/2 cups basil1 1/2 cups cilantro 1 1/2 cups parsley 1/2 cup almonds 3/4 cup Parmesan 4 cloves garlic 1 tsp agave 1/2 cup olive oil or more depending on the consistency you like Salt and pepper to taste

Put ingredients in food processor and pulse.

This pesto is great on just about every thing from apples to fish.

How to prepare Gravlox

Ingredients:1 cup sugar 1 cup salt 1 lemon with rind Fresh or dried dill 2 tablespoon Vermouth or Gin 1 pound of salmon

Step 2: Pour half the mixture in a glass pan and cover with dill. If you don't have fresh dill use dried.

Step 4: Pour the remainder of the mixture on top of the salmon and place dill on top of mixture. Cover tightly with saran wrap.

Step 6: Rinse off sugar and salt mixture. Pat dry with a paper towel. To store left overs wrap tightly with saran wrap and keep refrigerated.

Step 7: Serve to your liking. I like to cut it into thin slices and put it on a blini with creme fraiche or on top of a salad (see above).

ENJOY!

Lulu's Escarole and Mesclun Salad with Edamame, Mint, and Pecorino

Serves 8 to 102 cups ( 9 ounces) frozen shelled edamame 1 1/2 pounds escarole, cut crosswise into very thin strips. 1 pound mesclun greens 1 cup julienned fresh mint 1 cup finely grated Pecorino cheese 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon zestVinaigrette1/2 cup Champagne vinegar 2 small shallots, finely minced 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley 1 cup extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1. Bring a 3-quart pot of salted water to a boil and cook the edamame for 5 minutes. Drain the edamame in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking. Drain the edamame again and pat dry. 2. To make the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar, shallots, sugar, parsley, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 3. Toss the edamame, escarole, mesclun greens, and mint together in a large bowl. Add the Pecorino, drizzle the salad with the vinaigrette, and toss again. Garnish with the lemon zest.Optional:You can substitute the escarole for kale or any other dark leafy green you like. You are the chef use what you want and be creative!Tip:

Malibu Olive Company is one of my favorites. You can purchase it in my store at http://shopopensky.com/lulupowers

JOHNNY's RECIPES

Steak and Green Curried Soba Noodles GREEN CURRIED SOBA NOODLES 1 Tablespoon ground fennel seeds 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 1.5 teaspoon mustard powder 2 teaspoons cumin powder 1 Tablespoon madras curry powder 5 cloves fresh garlic, chopped 2 Tablespoons green or red curry paste 1 serrano chili, seeded and chopped (discard seeds) 1 bunch cilantro, chopped (stems too) 1 bunch fresh mint, chopped (stems too) 1/2 bunch scallions, chopped juice of 2 limes juice of 2 lemons 1/2 Cup fresh prepared green tea, chilled 1/2 Cup Extra virgin olive oil 2 Tablespoons wheat-free Tamari puree all ingredients in a food processor, thin with more green tea or water if it's too spicy for your taste. serve tossed with buckwheat or soba noodles. STEAK MARINADE: 1/2 cup olive oil 1 head or eight cloves roasted garlic, smashed 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger Juice of 1 lemon 2 Tablespoons braggs liquid aminos Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper your meat Mix all ingredients together and marinate your meat. It is also a good chicken marinade too. You can marinate anywhere from 1 hour to 24 hrs.

TUNA TARTARE 8 oz sushi grade tuna 8 oz yellowtail hamachi (pacific yellowtail amberjack) 1/2 a fresh mango, finely diced 1 firm avocado, diced Pinch black sesame seeds 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives 4 Tablespoons miso dressing (equal parts yellow miso paste, mayonnaise, and water) Sea salt & fresh black pepper Quenelle or scoop mixture into spoons or on a rice cracker to serve. Top with a small piece of candied tangerine rind. Recipe below CANDIED TANGERINE RIND Make 1 cup simple syrup (1/2 C gran. sugar & 1/2 cup water) Bring combined ingredients to a boil & then remove from heat. With a knife, remove the rind from 2 tangerines or oranges carefully removing most of the white part from the skin as well. Thinly slice the skin into pieces no longer than 1/2 inch. Add all of the thin slices to the simple syrup, over medium heat simmer for 3 minutes and then allow the rind to cool in the syrup. FYI: quenelle |kəˈnel| noun (usu. quenelles) a small seasoned ball of pounded fish or meat. ORIGIN French, probably from Alsatian German knödel

JOHNNY’S OATMEAL RAISIN FLORENTINES 3 Cups oats 1 ½ cups all purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 ½ teaspoons nutmeg 2 Cup raisins (I like mixing 1/2 golden, 1/2 regular) 3 sticks butter 11/2 cups brown sugar 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 3 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Preheat oven to 325 degrees Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Then add in the oats and raisins and set aside. Cream together the butter and sugars in an electric mixer: start on speed 1, move to a faster speed. Turn the mixer speed back down to 1 and add in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Slowly add in the dry ingredients. Scoop cookie dough into approximately 2 Tablespoon balls. Put these in the freezer for one hour. Then arrange them on a prepared cookie sheet, allowing plenty of room in between them (they will spread out!). Bake 13 to 14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies start to brown. Allow them to cool on the cookie sheet before removing. Enjoy!

Tips from my chef friends

HOW TO COOK AN ARTICHOKE

TRIM THE BOTTOM STEM A QUARTER OF AN INCH.

CLARIFIED BUTTER

Clarified butter is melted down butter which is made clear due to the milk solids separating. Since the milk solids are removed you do not have to refrigerate it. Once it is melted down you are left with a clear oil that does not burn so you can cook with it at a much higher heat than you would with regular butter. There are many uses for clarified butter, you can use it as you would use olive oil. Its great on Panini's, seafood, for poaching fish, in pancakes, the list goes on.

Lulu's RITZ TOMATO SOUP

Serves 61 onion, chopped 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, chopped, or cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup chopped carrot 5 garlic cloves, chopped 3 bay leaves 2 cups chicken stock 1/4 cup dry white wine 2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoons sugar Marscarpone cheese Fresh basil, julienned 1. In a medium saute pan over medium heat, saute the onion in the olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, carrot, and garlic and saute until the tomatoes are soft and beginning to fall apart, about 10 minutes. 2. Add the bay leaves, chicken stock, white wine, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes over low to moderate heat. 3. Remove the bay leaves and puree with a hand blender or transfer to a blender and puree. Adjust the seasoning as desired. 4. Serve with a dollop of marscarpone and julienned basil.

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