Here in Maine, we have simple taste. We enjoy our Lobsters plain boiled, with plenty of drawn butter. For your dining pleasure, we assembled some of our favorite family recipes below. We hope you will find one that you enjoy, and welcome your comments. Perhaps one of your favorite recipes will appear here soon.
- Heating your Partially Cooked Maine Lobster
- Nana Bet's Traditional Maine Boiled Lobster
- Malvina's Baked Stuffed Lobster
- Gramp's Hearty Lobster Stew
- Peg's Baked Stuffed Lobster Tails with Newburg Sauce
- Little Michael's Lovely Lobster Roll
- Dad's Delicious Lobster Salad
- Dave's Super Steamed Clams
Heating your partially cooked lobsters
The partially cooked lobsters you purchased from Pine Point Seafood have been cooked in our special salt water process. You may keep your partially cooked lobster refrigerated for up to three days. When ready to serve, simply place your lobsters in a pot of rapidly boiling water. Make sure there is enough water so that the lobsters float. When the water returns to a boil, give them five minutes, and prepare for a feast of unequaled proportions.
Nana Bet's Traditional Boiled Maine Lobster
Maine people traditionally have very simple taste. For four generations, Nana Bet served our family traditional Maine Boiled Lobster with drawn butter. It is still the most popular way local folks cook their lobsters. Start by selecting a pot large enough to completely submerge your delectable decapods. Allow the water to come to a rapid boil before adding your lobsters. Many people prefer to add salt to taste. If your trying to simulate sea water, it contains 2 ½ - 3% salt. A good ballpark is 2 tablespoons per quart of water. Place lobsters in the boiling water. When they return to a rapid boil start timing 15-18 minutes for small, 20-25 minutes for large lobsters. The most popular way to serve the boiled lobster is with a side of drawn butter.
There are many folk story's about lobsters screaming when you put them in the water, and how you need to place them in head first. Don't believe a word of it. A lobsters nervous system is very primitive. They are not capable of screaming, and it is widely believed that they do not feel any pain when cooked. Make sure the water is good and hot when you put them in, and get ready for the meal of a lifetime.
Malvina's Baked Stuffed Lobster
Malvina is originally from Louisiana, and sometimes prefers an alternative to the traditional boiled lobster usually served in Maine. You can use either our partially cooked lobsters, or start from scratch with live lobsters. If you are using live lobsters, the first step is to split them for stuffing. Place the lobster on its back and use a good size, firm knife. Start at the lobsters mouth and quickly slice down the middle of the body and tail. Use both hands to open the body and remove the stomach (located just behind the mouth parts) and the tomalley (the green liver type organ that will be very obvious). Many people feel the tomalley is a delicacy and it may be added to the stuffing if you wish.
The next step is to prepare a stuffing. The quantities below are for stuffing one lobster. For additional lobsters simply multiply the quantities by the number of lobsters you are serving. We prefer our lobsters stuffed with fresh Maine lobster meat. You can either purchase your fresh Maine lobster meat all prepared, or boil and pick your own meat to add to the stuffing mix. Remember it takes approximately six pounds of whole lobsters to yield one pound of fresh Maine lobster meat. Start by melting ½ stick of butter. Beat one egg and combine it with ½ cup of Ritz cracker crumbs, one tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese, and four ounces of fresh Maine lobster meat. Add the melted butter to your mixture. Fill the body and tail of your lobster with the stuffing mix.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Place the stuffed lobsters on a cookie sheet, and bake for 20 minutes. If you are starting with our partially cooked lobsters, reduce the baking time by ½, or until the stuffing is golden brown.
It gets mighty cold in Maine come winter. One of grandfather's favorites is a piping hot bowl of Maine Lobster Stew. Once again the secret's in the butter. We like our stew with plenty of meat. So, start with 4-5 oz. per person of fresh Maine lobster meat. Sauté the meat with ½ stick of butter per person, on medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add sautéed meat to one cup whole milk per person (you may substitute half and half if you prefer a heartier base). Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes - do not allow it to boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, then cool and refrigerate. Lobster stew always tastes better if it is allowed to set overnight. Serve the next day, piping hot. Top with paprika and a few parsley flakes for decoration.
As an alternative, some people prefer to add scallions and flour to thicken the stew. Be creative and experiment. With fresh Maine lobster meat, you can't go wrong.
Peg's baked stuffed lobster tails with Newburg sauce
Start with some of Pine Point Seafood's special heat and serve Maine Lobster Tails. Our tails are processed in our FDA inspected facility. We cook them in a special salt water process that locks in that fresh taste of Maine. With our Maine lobster tails, you get the best part of the lobster without the trouble of cooking from scratch. Your tails can be warmed in the microwave, or under the broiler. Warm just enough to heat through.
For a more elegant treat, try Peg's stuffed tails with Newburg sauce. To make your Newburg sauce, start by melting 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Next make a roux by adding flour. Stir until blended. Add ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 ¼ cups of milk, and ¼ cup of white wine. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly until the desired consistency is achieved. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Split your heat and serve Maine Lobster Tails down the underside of the tail. Fill the shell with Newburg sauce. Top the tails with a stuffing made by crushing 8 Ritz crackers and 8 Saltine crackers. Combine the crackers with 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon of white wine. Bake tails on a cookie sheet until the stuffing is golden brown, and the tails are heated through.
Little Michael's lovely lobster roll
Michael doesn't go for the gourmet lobster presentations. He prefers a genuine Maine Lobster roll. It is easy, and makes a delicious lunch. Start with 2-3 oz. fresh Maine Lobster Meat per roll. Cut the meat into bite size pieces. Mix the meat with your desired amount of real mayonnaise. Michael likes his lobster meat served in a warm hot dog roll. Butter both sides of the roll and grill in a frying pan until golden brown. Add a bed of crisp lettuce, and your fresh Maine Lobster Meat. Sprinkle some paprika on top and you will have a sandwich that is sure to please. A great way to use any highly unlikely leftovers from last nights dinner.
As Dad heads towards upper-middle age, Mom reminds him it's time to pay more attention to his waste line. Dad's delicious lobster salad is perfect for a light meal. Fresh Maine Lobster Meat has less cholesterol, calories, and saturated fats, than both skinless chicken and turkey. As long as you avoid the drawn butter, it is a very healthy source of protein.
Start with 3-4 oz. fresh Maine Lobster Meat per person. Mix in a small amount of lite mayonnaise. Place on a bed of mixed romaine and iceberg lettuce. If you are really adventurous, add shrimp, crabmeat, or both. Tomatoes, celery or other fresh vegetables make a nice addition. Be creative and secure in the knowledge your eating healthy. Dad hasn't looked this good since he stopped hauling his own lobster traps some 30 years ago.
Uncle Dave has spent over 25 years perfecting the art of cleaning the sand out of our famous Pine Point Steamer Clams. The soft shell clams that are native to Maine are harvested from sand and mud flats. Because of that, most clams that you buy contain a fair amount of sand in them. Sand can be very tough on the dentures! When you purchase your Pine Point Steamer Clams from us, you will receive the cleanest, best tasting clams available anywhere. Dave's process is totally natural, and involves no chemicals or additives of any kind.
The best part is they are so easy to cook. As the name implies, you are going to steam the clams. Start with a pot that looks too big. You'll be happy to have the extra space. Start with about 1" of water in the bottom and add your clams. Put on high heat and stand by. Steamers contain a lot of natural juice, so you can expect plenty of bouillon when they are done. When they start to steam, be on your toes. If your pot isn't big enough they will often boil over. It takes about 10-12 minutes of hard steaming for them to cook. The shells will gap wide open and the meats should slide out of the shell without sticking. Don't forget to remove the black membrane that covers the neck (siphon) before eating. Serve with the bouillon from cooking and drawn butter. When purchasing, figure on 2 ½ - 3 lbs. per person for a main course, somewhat less as a side dish with your fresh Maine Lobsters.