"A Good Friday Special"

Pasta and eggs is probably one of the oldest and most popular Friday Lenten dishes ever to be served in New Orleans—and everywhere else you find congregations of Italians, for that matter. But it’s good regardless of which nationality you are, and for that reason I wanted to share it with you.

Ingredients
1 ½ lb. Live Maine lobster
6 scallions (cut in 2 ½ inch lengths)
1 egg (beaten)
3 Tbsp. corn starch
¾ cup seafood stock
5-6 cups peanut oil

Seasonings
6 slices ginger
3 cloves garlic (coarsely chopped)
1 Tbsp. fermented black beans
(rinsed and coarsely chopped)
1 tsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. dark soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame seed oil
¾ tsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Preparations:
Split the lobster in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the stomach sac (a pouch about 1 inch long that is in the head) but keep intact the greenish tomalley and any roe. Apply the beaten egg with a brush to both halves of the lobster. Follow with a light coat of cornstarch and set aside. Chop the ginger, scallions, garlic and fermented black beans. Dissolve 1 Tbsp. cornstarch in ¾ cup of water. Gather all the seasonings within reaching distance.

To Cook:
Heat a wok or heavy skillet over high temperature until hot. Pour in 5-6 cups of peanut oil and heat to 325º, gently place both halves of lobster into wok. Swirl a few times until lobster is 80% cooked. Set lobster aside and drain oil. Reheat wok with 2 Tbsp. of oil. Toss in garlic, ginger, scallions (white parts only), fermented black beans, shower in rice wine prior to adding the two halves or lobster. Pour ¾ cup of stock and steam-cook until lobster is completely cooked (about 3-5 minutes).

Remove lobster and place both halves on a serving platter (facing up). Add both light and dark soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. Give the dissolved cornstarch a big stir and pour it into the sauce. Add the sesame seed oil and scallions (green parts only). Stir in a circular motion until the sauce thickens. Scoop the aromatic finish product onto the lobster and serve.

Lobster with a Ginger and Garlic Sauce

"A GOOD FRIDAY SPECIAL"

Preparations:
Split the lobster in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the stomach sac (a pouch about 1 inch long that is in the head) but keep intact the greenish tomalley and any roe. Apply the beaten egg with a brush to both halves of the lobster. Follow with a light coat of cornstarch and set aside. Chop the ginger, scallions, and garlic. Dissolve 1 Tbsp. cornstarch in ¾ cup of water. Gather all the seasonings within reaching distance.

To Cook:
Heat a wok or heavy skillet over high temperature until hot. Pour in 5-6 cups of peanut oil and heat to 325º, gently place both halves of lobster into wok. Swirl a few times until lobster is 80% cooked. Set lobster aside and drain oil. Reheat wok with 2 Tbsp. of oil. Toss n garlic, ginger, scallions (white parts only), shower in rice wine prior to adding the two halves of lobster. Pour ¾ cup of seafood stock and steam-cook until lobster is completely cooked (about 3-5 minutes).

Remove lobster and place both halves on a serving platter (facing up). Add both light and dark soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. Give the dissolved cornstarch a big stir and pour it into the sauce. Add the sesame seed oil and scallions (green parts only). Stir in a circular motion until the sauce thickens. Scoop the aromatic finished product onto the lobster and serve.