Grilled Lobster and Yukon Gold Potatoes
The stars of the celebration, bright red lobsters, are grilled and basted with tomalley. The lobsters are served with grilled potato slices. Two 2-pound lobsters will serve 2 or 4 people, depending on how hungry they are. Yukon Gold potatoes are golden-fleshed and creamy, with a buttery taste. If you must substitute, use creamy- or waxy-fleshed potatoes, not baking potatoes.
Ingredients
- Large Yukon Gold potatoes - 4
- Olive Oil - 3/4 cup (alt. garlic-flavored olive oil)
- Kosher Salt - (alt. sea salt)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Maine Lobsters - Two (2 lb each), live
- White Bread Crumbs - 1/2 cup (alt. cracker crumbs), fresh
- Parsley - 2 tablespoons, chopped, fresh
- Lemon - 1, cut into 4 wedges
Instructions
Prepare a grill for direct heat cooking: Light a charcoal grill and let the coals burn until covered with light grey ash. Or, light a gas grill according to manufacturer’s directions. Place the cooking grate on top and let it heat for a minute or two until hot.
Slice the potatoes lengthwise about 1/2-inch thick. Place in a medium bowl and add 1/4 cup of the oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Place on the hot grate and grill 4 minutes. Turn and grill 2 more minutes; move to the warming rack area of the grill, or place on a wire rack in a warm place.
Using a cleaver or sharp knife, split the lobsters in half lengthwise. Or, insert the point of the knife into the shell at the cross mark behind the eyes to kill the lobster, then cut in two. Clean by discarding the head sack and intestinal vein. Remove the tomalley (greenish-yellow-colored liver) and roe (dark material, if any) and set aside. Remove claw bands and crack claws slightly. Break up the tomalley and roe into small pieces with a fork. Add the bread crumbs, parsley, salt, and pepper, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Mix gently; set aside. The bread crumbs are not intended to appear or taste like ‘stuffing;” their purpose is to hold the oil, parsley, and seasoning in a firm mix with the tomalley.
Brush the lobster shells and meat with oil. Spread the tomalley mixture evenly throughout the open lobster cavity. Place the lobsters on the cooking grate, shell-side down. Grill about 9 to 12 minutes. Do not turn the lobsters. Baste the lobsters with oil 3 or 4 times during grilling. Check doneness by gently prying around the thickest part of the tail meat: the tail meat should be creamy white and bubbly; the tomalley will be green. Baste with oil one more time before removing from the grill.
To serve: Place the lobsters on a large platter, shell-side down. Surround with grilled potato slices and garnish with lemon wedges.
