Baja style Grilled Lobster

 

What makes this Baja style.  A few things, mainly its a close copy of the grilled Lobster I had in Puerto Nuevo, Mexico years ago.  Its smoked pimenton (paprika) and ancho chili powder in a garlic butter basted with a squirt of lime juice before you flip them over.  Say what...yes you briefly flip them over just to get a little grill line and finish them off before serving.

What's the aluminum foil log on the side?  Thats another element of making it Baja style.  My first exposure it was grilled over a bed of mesquite coals.  To add that element to your gas grill take a sheet of foil, layer about a cup or so of mesquite chips, fold it up into a tight package and then puncture a few holes in it to let the smoke out.   Place the packet over a burner kept on high to get it smoking.  Et voila...mesquite smoke on a gas grill.

I'd be remiss in letting you think I broke the bank for 6 lobster tails to celebrate my daughter and her families visit for the 4th (and Hurricane Beryl).   I have a source for wholesale priced seafood that can't be beat.  It's Here Ya Geaux Live Crawfish and Seafood here in League City TX.  They serve the bordering communities and will be expanding as they grow their clientele.  Crawfish may be a specialty but they have other excellent seafood choices that are uber affordable.   If you're in my area definitely check them out.

Baja Style Grilled Lobster

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp Smoked pimenton 
• 1/2 tsp ancho chili
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• Juice of one lime
• 6, 10-12 oz Lobster tails

Preheat grill on high.  Add foil packet of mesquite chips.

Place lobster on cutting board and make a lengthwise split through the hard back shell down through to the membrane underneath.  Fold the lobsters in half lengthwise to expose the meat inside.  Hint if you don't have a knife sharp enough to split the back, use kitchen shears to but the back then the knife to cut through the flesh.  Place prepared lobsters on a tray.

Melt butter and stir in garlic, salt, pimenton and ancho chili powder.  Baste the lobster tails with butter mixture.

Reduce heat for all burners except the mesquite packet to low.  Place tails shell side down and cook 4-6 minutes with the lid closed.  Just as the tails are bright coral and the top is nearly raw still baste with remaining butter and squirt lime juice on the tails.  Turn over and grill lightly 2-3 minutes until finished cooking through.

Remove from heat and serve with any Mexican style rice you like and a veggie.  To remove meat grasp the tail and insert a fork in the meat next to the tail.  With a little effort lift the tail meat out of the shell and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Buster Bars

 

Man oh man has it been a busy few months.  And nothing changes other than my daughter Kari and her family are coming for a visit.  That means a little extra baking making treats they all adore.  For Kari it's an old family treat we've been making since the 80's - Peanut Butter Buster Bars.  As the name implies its got a whole jar of peanut butter in it and is topped with  chocolate layer on top.

Here's a handy tips for you.  USE YOUR MICROWAVE.  Yes, it does more than just reheat leftovers and pop Popcorn.  In this instance it makes perfectly tempered chocolate topping and makes for a pourable peanut butter when needed.  I live by my MO for lots of cooking tasks. 

Peanut butter matters.  Use a commercially available creamy peanut butter.  Don't use those natural varieties as the oil separates and will ruin your batch.  I use JIF, but any major brand or store label will work.

There are probably dozens of variations on this recipe, and probably as many names.  Our family version came from our neighbor in Las Vegas, Delores Smith.  It is among the stupid easy treats you can whip up in a flash.

Peanut Butter Buster Bars

Ingredients:

• 6 cups Special K Original
• 1 C corn syrup
• 1 C sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1, 16 oz jar Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 1/2 C Semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 C Butterscotch chips

Prepare a 9X13 pan by spraying with cooking oil.  Set pan aside.

Combine corn syrup, sugar and salt into a very large pan (nonstick if you have one).  Over medium heat whisk together the ingredients and let it heat undisturbed. As soon as small bubbles form around the edge watch it closely and allow to just come to a boil.  As it comes to boil turn off the heat. 

Microwave the peanut butter in the jar 1 minute.  Pour the now molten peanut butter into the hot syrup mixture and whisk until smooth.  With a heatproof silicon spatula fold in the Special K Cereal until it is all coated with peanut butter syrup mixture.

Pour hot cereal mixture into prepared pan.  Smooth out to corners and level with your spatula.

In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate and butterscotch chips.  Microwave 30 seconds.  Stir with a clean spatula, some chips will have started melting already.  Microwave 30 seconds more and give it another stir, don't be alarmed if the resulting mixture feels too stiff its normal.  Microwave in 10 second intervals stirring between each interval.  For my machine it took a total of 3, 10 second intervals before it was warm enough to stir to completely melt all the chips and make a smooth "frosting".  Pour the "frosting" over the cereal mixture and smooth with the spatula.  Cool several hours to let the frosting set then cut into bars for serving.