How To Cook Lobster Tail
Learn How To Cook Lobster Tails
So you want to learn 
how to cook lobster tail? Excellent! When cooked the right way, lobster tail is one of the most succulent foods on the face of the earth….
Many beginner cooks are intimidated when it comes to cooking lobster tails and rightly so. They aren’t cheap! So you want to make certain you are cooking them correctly to avoid waste.
Lobsters, once considered to be a poor mans food, are now more of a delicacy that people only occasionally enjoy. There are a variety of ways to prepare lobster tails and I hope this post will help you on your quest to cooking the perfect lobster tail.
Preparing and Broiling a Lobster Tail Step By Step
Step 1 - Preparing the Lobster Tail:
Step 2 - Cooking the Lobster Tail:
Step 3 - Finishing the Cooking Process:
Grilled Lobster Tails
In the following video, chef Jason Hill shares his method for grilling lobster tails.
Here are the ingredients Chef Hill provides to make this fantastic Lobster Tails:
2 (8 oz.) lobster tails
2 tablespoons chive oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic-shallot puree (or 2 crushed garlic cloves)
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
2 cups water (use as needed)
Salt and pepper (as desired)
How to Smoke a Salmon
For the purposes of this article, I am going to assume you have your own smoker. But don’t worry if you don’t because I am going to show you how to guild your own in later articles.
I like to start with a good quality Wild Alaskan Salmon. Farmed salmon is almost like eating poison and I highly suggest you stay away from it at all costs. Spend a little extra and I promise you your taste buds will thank you. That being said, I like to use Chum Salmon. It is lesser known than all the other species of salmon, but it is a little less expensive and has a very high oil content. This is a good thing. The more oil a fish has the better it is for this process of smoking, and it will not dry out as quickly
First things first. You need to prepare the salmon 12 hours ahead of time with a process called brining. This brine I will show you is quite simple but adds really nice flavor to the fish.In a large container pour in 4 cups of warm water, 1 cup Kosher salt, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup brown sugar. Stir vigorously until well combined. At this point your salmon should be cut up into chunks of equal size. Place them in the brine mix, skin side up please. Put the lid on your container and put it back into the fridge for 12 hours.
After 12 hours take each piece of salmon out of the brine, rinse lightly under water, and place on the counter to dry. After about an hour of drying, a pellicle will form over the top of the Salmon. This just looks like a shiny skin and that is what we want. Now we put the rub on that is going to flavor our smoked salmon delicacy. For this application I am going to give you my recipe for what I like to call “Indian Candy”. This recipe was shown to me by the Indians of the Pacific Northwest. Rub each piece of fish with butter until lightly coated. Then rub each piece heavily with brown sugar. Let sit while you prepare your smoker.
You want to get your smoker between 150 and 180 degrees rolling with Alder smoke. I highly suggest Alder as it gives the salmon a very unique flavor. You will enjoy it, I guarantee you. Put your salmon in and close the door. Do not even peek for two hours. Just let the smoke do its work. After two hours begin to look every once in a while for the Salmon to start flaking. Once it begins to flake it is done.
Now here is a secret that no one will tell you. The flavor of the salmon is better the next day. What I like to do at this point is vacuum seal each piece while it is still warm. This ensures that maximum flavor stays with each piece. Put into the fridge until the next day, open and enjoy.
I hope you have enjoyed this lesson on how to smoke a salmon. As you can see it is not that hard, just a little time consuming, but trust me on this one, it is well worth the wait.
Chris is a chef and an award winng BBQer. Check out more of his recipes at http://www.squidoo.com/alaskanseafood
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The Best Way To Cook Freshly Caught Fish
Fresh Caught Fish Cooking Preparation
To maintain the delicate flavor of a newly caught freshwater or saltwater fish, this must be handled properly to avoid spoilage. Not to mention preserving the fish with pleasing odor. There are ways to properly prepare and maintain the quality just after the catch of the fish into a sumptuous fish meal. Check out the tips below:
1) As soon as the fish lands avoid any contact with hard surfaces to prevent bruising. It should be washed immediately by hosing or bucket rinsing in order to remove the slime and possible bacteria that cause spoilage. Never use water from close proximity marinas, municipal or industrial discharges. To make sure, always use portable water instead.
2) Simply chill the fish to prevent deterioration in less than an hour. With a little advanced planning, proper icing can be accomplished with the use of some relatively cheap equipment. Fish should be stored in coolers and should be well chilled. It should be 3″ deep, thus, covering a pound of fish with pound of ice. Use chlorinated water per quart of water for the final rinsing.
3) Clean the fish as soon as possible. Their tissues are sterile but not their scales, which contains many types of bacteria. When cleaning fish, avoid rough treatment because wounds in the flesh can allow the spread of bacteria. Gutting the fish does not have to be necessarily long. It is wise to cut the belly, as it leaves no blood or viscera in the body. Make sure not to soak cleaned fish fillets in a prolonged freshwater as this could reduce the meat texture and flavor.
4) The eating quality and nutritional value of fish can be maintained up to 5 days if properly cleaned. Washing of the hands before touching the fish is also important. No matter what fish and the cooking technique used, one golden rule is to be followed always. Whether it is whole or not, cook exactly 10 minutes for every inch measured. 15 minutes should be allotted to fish enclosed in foil or sauce baked. Double the time for frozen fish.
Allow extra time if fish will be baked while packed in an aluminum foil and allow extra time for the penetration of the heat. That should be an additional 5 minutes for fresh fish and 10 for frozen. In thawing frozen fish, slowly thaw in the fridge for 24 hours or let the wrapped fish be run under cold water not at room temperature. Do not thaw a fish that’s frozen before cooking as it may make it mushy and dry.
More articles about Successful Cooking
Japanese Oven Baked Flounder
Japanese Oven Baked Flounder
By Eric Newman
Ingredients:
* 4 flounder fillets
* 1 tablespoon low-fat margarine
* 2 tablespoons sake
* 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
* 2 teaspoons sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon honey
* 1 teaspoon lightly toasted black sesame seeds
* 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
* 4 leeks, green tops only, cut into 1-inch pieces
* 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 2-inch long matchstick strips
* 1/2 large red pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
* Steamed rice, accompaniment
* Sauteed Shiitake Mushrooms
Sauteed Shiitake Mushrooms:
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 3/4 cup sliced shittake mushrooms
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil
* 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
* 2 tablespoon sake
* 4 lemons, zested and juiced
Prep Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 30 min
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut 4 large squares of heavy aluminum foil large enough to hold 1 flounder fillet and one-quarter of the vegetables. Lightly put margerine one side of each and set on a work surface.
Lay the fish flat in a baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together the sake, light soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, sesame oil, honey, and black sesame seeds. Pour over the fish and let marinate for up to 45 minutes. Arrange 1 fish fillet on each sheet of aluminum foil and top with one-quarter of the shiitake mushrooms, leeks, carrots, red peppers, and marinade. Wrap tightly and place on a baking sheet. Bake until the fish is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and unwrap each package. Transfer the fish and vegetables to 4 large plates and top with the cooking juices. Serve with Sauteed Shiitakes and hot steamed rice.
Sauteed Shiitake Mushrooms:
Place a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and saute until they begin to give up their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the sesame oil, light soy sauce, sake, and lemon juice and zest and cook for 3 minutes.
Eric Newman is an author for Teanobi.com. All articles may be used and reprinted as long as they have an active link at the bottom pointing to http://www.teanobi.com with the anchored text: green tea
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Grilled Blackened Cedar Plank Salmon
The following video is a recipe and instructions for 
Grilled Blackened Salmon on a Cedar Plank. The Chef in this video mentions a special blackened seasoning that he is using, but you can make your own blend or you can purchase a ready made blend of blackening spices at your supermarket.
Here is the Cedar Plank Blackened Salmon Video:
The cedar plank imparts a subtle but wonderful smoky flavor to the salmon while grilling. After using the cedar plank I will never grill salmon any other way.
Make certain that you soak the cedar plank for at least four hours, or overnight. The soaking will help lessen the chance of the cedar plank catching fire.
There are a variety of different blackening spice mixtures that you can make. Below is only one example:
- 4 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon finely ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
Mix all spices together and store in an air-tight container. You should then store the container in a cool dark place.
Enjoy!
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Low Fat Salmon Recipes
Low Fat Salmon Recipes
By Hans Dekker
Finding delicious low fat salmon recipes has just become easier since you found our website. There are many wonderful low fat salmon recipes that will please your palate plus the palates of your dinner guests or family.
This first low fat salmon recipe uses yummy ingredients such as low or non-fat sour cream and low or non-fat mayonnaise to create a delectable creamy salmon recipe that is perfect for any occasion.
For this recipe you will need:
2 pounds of salmon filets,
¾ cup of low or non-fat sour cream,
1/3 cup of low or non-fat mayonnaise,
2 tablespoons of all purpose flour,
2 tablespoons of lemon juice,
8 ounces of low or non-fat cream cheese,
1 minced clove of garlic,
1/3 cup of your favorite white wine,
salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash the salmon and pat it dry with a paper towel.
Use a non-stick spray such as Pam and spray your 9×13 inch baking dish. Place the salmon filets in the baking dish with the skin down in a single layer. In a medium size bowl, blend together the sour cream, mayonnaise, flour, lemon juice, cream cheese, garlic, and wine until smooth and well blended.
Now, with the back of a spoon spread the mixture over the salmon. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper and paprika to your liking. Do not cover and bake for around 20. You can use a meat thermometer to ensure your salmon is done and not overcooked. The internal temperature should be 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The salmon will still cook once you remove it from the heat source. Do not go by color alone.
You can also prepare low fat salmon recipes on your grill or barbeque and create some wonderful low fat sauces to enhance the flavor of your salmon.
A great sauce to serve along side grilled salmon is a low fat lemon dill sauce.
For this sauce you will need:
2 tablespoons of non-fat mayonnaise,
2 tablespoons of lemon juice,
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard,
¾ teaspoon of dill weed,
salt and pepper to taste.
Blend together all ingredients with a wire whisk and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Hans loves seafood and is author of
Seafood
Recipes at http://www.steaks-guide.com
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Heart Healthy Salmon: Make it a Weekly Treat
Heart Healthy Salmon: Make it a Weekly Treat
By Harriet Hodgson
New medical studies say fish with Omega-3 fatty acids, including mackerel, herring, and salmon, have many health benefits. Mayo Clinic cites these benefits in an article, “How Eating Fish Helps Your Heart.” The benefits: brain development in children, decreasing triglycerides, lowering blood pressure, enhancing the immune system, and reducing the risk of sudden heart attack. Wow.
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute lists additional benefits on its Web site. “The Omega-3 oils found in certain types of seafood, including Alaska salmon, have been linked to improvements in or prevention of certain kinds of cancer, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, arthritis, asthma, certain kinds of mental illness, depression and lupis,” the site notes.
You are lucky if you live in an area that has an abundance of fresh fish. I live in Minnesota and, while our grocery stores carry farm-raised fresh salmon, I do not buy it because of a sign that reads, “Color added.” Eating artificially colored salmon does not appeal to me, so I buy wild salmon or canned. We had salmon for dinner last night and it was delicious.
Since I did not have a recipe, I made a basic white sauce, seasoned it a bit, and added some leftover asparagus I had already steamed. I added a fresh spinach and carrot salad and tiny fingers of Parmesan toast. We had white wine with dinner and felt like we were in a fancy restaurant. Stumped on dinner? Try my Creamed Salmon with Fresh Asparagus.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons margarine
2 tablespoons Wondra flour
1 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons light cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt free lemon pepper seasoning
Dash of paprika
6 asparagus spears, cooked and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 6-ounce can Wild Alaskan Salmon, drained and separated into chunks
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 tablespoon light olive oil
METHOD
Melt the margarine in a small saucepan. Whisk in Wondra flour, making sure all lumps are gone, and then the milk. Add cream cheese, lemon pepper seasoning, and paprika. Cook over medium heat until the sauce is thick. Fold in asparagus and salmon.
Pour mixture into two small, oven-proof dishes that have been coated with cooking spray. Mix the bread crumbs and olive oil together until they clump a bit. Sprinkle crumbs over salmon. Bake in a 350 degree oven until the sauce starts to bubble.
Copyright 2007 by Harriet Hodgson
Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 28 years and is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. Before she became a health writer she was a food writer for the first “Rochester Magazine.” Hodgson’s 24th book, “Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief,” written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com. A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. You will find another review on the American Hospice Foundaiton Web site under the “School Corner” heading.
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Seared Sesame Encrusted Ahi Tuna Steak Recipe
Tuna is truly an amazing food with a number of benefits that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Tuna is rich in Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and has been known to reduce the risk of heart disease. It is also low in fat and cholesterol making it a great alternative to beef.
Not only is tuna a powerhouse of nutrition, it is also one of the most delicious sources of lean protein that you will ever sink your teeth into.
Tuna is also easy to cook. Its a hardy fish and holds together well on the grill, in the oven, or on the stove top. The following 
ahi tuna recipe is one of my favorites and is fairly easy to prepare.
I made this particular dish the other day and it was absolutely wonderful. My wife, who normally does not eat big portions, cleaned off her plate and wanted more, so that is a very good sign.
The thickness of the tuna steak you use really depends on how rare you like your tuna. Because you are only searing the outside of your tuna steak, it will not be in the pan for very long. So the thicker the steak, the more rare the center will be.
I personally do not like my tuna too rare, so I usually make this recipe with thinner cuts of tuna. This is just a preference, not a requirement. Many people, including chefs say the only way to eat tuna is rare. I guess you will have to be the judge.
Let us move on to the recipe shall we?
Seared Sesame Encrusted Ahi Tuna with a Cilantro, Garlic and Lime sauce..
I should mention one thing before we begin this recipe . I do not follow exact measurements in recipes. I measure everything by eye, so the following measurements are only to be used as a guide. So don’t get too mad at me!
This is optional, but I like to toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan first before I put them on the tuna. The seeds become nutty and aromatic when you toast them. This is highly recommended if you have the time and is quite easy to do. Simply heat a dry pan over medium heat, then add the seeds shaking the pan occasionally. You may have to do this in batches, depending on how many seeds you are toasting.
You do not want to overcrowd the pan. Keep an eye on the seeds and make sure they do not burn. Toast them until they darken a bit and start to become fragrant. Remove and let them cool before adding them to the tuna.
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 Cup Black Sesame Seeds
1/4 Cup White Sesame Seeds
1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil
2 - 6 ounce Ahi (Yellow Fin) Tuna Steaks
Salt and Pepper to Taste
MARINADE/ DIPPING SAUCE
1/ 2 Cup of Low Sodium Soy Sauce (Who needs the extra sodium, right?)
1 Lime (Juice and Zest - If you want more lime flavor, add another)�
1- 2 Cloves of Garlic Minced
2 Tablespoons of Honey
1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoons of Freshly Chopped Cilantro Leaves
1) Prepare the marinade. Add all marinade ingredients to a small bowl and mix well. Reserve half of this marinade in a separate container to use as a dipping sauce.
2) Get a glass baking dish or other non-reactive container to marinade the tuna in. You want the tuna steaks to fit snuggly in the dish so that they are surrounded nicely with the marinade. Pour the marinade into the dish and put the tuna steaks in and kind of swirl the marinade around so that you coat the fish well. Cover with some plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Another option is to pour the marinade in a large zip lock bag, add the tuna, and then squeeze out the air. Marinade for 30 minutes to an hour, turning the tuna about half way through.
3) Remove tuna from fridge and let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes or so.
4) Remove tuna from marinade, shaking off any excess marinade and dry on paper towels.
5) Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. The oil should be hot but not smoking.
6) While the pan is heating, arrange your sesame seeds on a flat dish. Roll the tuna around in the seeds pressing down as you roll ensuring the seeds are packed into the tuna nicely.
7) Add the tuna to the hot saute pan and shake it a bit to make sure the tuna does not stick. Sear for 30 to 40 seconds on both sides.
Remove and serve with the reserved dipping sauce.
For side dishes with this recipe I usually keep things pretty bland as I don’t want anything to compete with the flavors in the tuna. So I usually prepare a side of steamed green beans with a bit of butter, salt and pepper or other vegetable along with some lightly seasoned jasmine or basmati rice.
There you have it. I do hope you enjoy this 
Seared Sesame Encrusted Ahi Tuna recipe. I am not a big wine drinker, but for those of you who like a glass or two with dinner, I heard a nice Pinot Grigio goes quite well with Tuna. Buon Appetito!
Crock Pot Chili - Easy Recipes For The Best Chili
Crock Pot Chili - Easy Recipes For The Best Chili
By Diane Watkins
Mom’s Favorite Chili
1 pound ground beef ; browned, drained
1 can pork and beans
1 can chili beans
1 regular can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
Red pepper ; to taste
Salt ; to taste
Mix all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours.
Navajo Beef And Chile Stew
3 pound lean beef stew meat ; cut 3/4 ” cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can ready-cut tomatoes with juice - (14 1/2 oz)
1 can diced green chiles - (7 oz) drained
1 can whole-kernel corn - (8 1/2 oz) undrained
1 teaspoons dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
Combine all ingredients, except cornmeal, in a slow cooker, mixing well. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or until meat is tender.
20 Minutes before serving:
Turn control to HIGH. Stir in cornmeal. Cover and cook on HIGH 20 to 25 minutes.
No-Bean Chili
2 pounds ground beef
(or cubed lean stew beef)
1 can tomato sauce - (8 oz)
1 can tomato paste - (6 oz)
1 can stewed tomatoes - (16 oz) ; (optional)
2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce ; or more
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. (Add a can of your favorite beans if you wish, but then it wouldn’t be No-Bean Chilli.)
This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.
Do you need more easy crock pot recipe ideas? Sign up for our newsletter at Easy Crock Pot Recipes and get quick and healthy crock pot recipes delivered to your email regularly.
Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download Easy Southern Favorites today. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!
Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking
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