For Valentine’s Day, serve the “lobster of romance”
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, February 8, 2022
Valentine’s Day is the day to celebrate love. And what a better way of saying “I love you” then preparing a dish that glorifies the ingredients of love.
Cleopatra swore by the power of saffron to heighten desire, and this recipe features a luscious pairing of decadent lobster tail sauteed in saffron butter. You will turn up the “heat” with the beurre blanc: a creamy avocado butter sauce and roasted chiles to further excite the libido. Add toasted almonds and vitamin-rich healthy asparagus to top off this memorable Valentine’s Day meal for two.
Adding to anticipation, Tulalip Resort Casino’s sommelier Tommy Thompson has selected a big, rich, spicy and fun red wine to pair with this dish, plus a house-barreled cocktail recipe served at our own Blackfish restaurant.
We wish you the best in your journey of love.
Sauteed lobster tail with avocado chili beurre blanc, toasted almonds and lemon asparagus
2 6-ounce lobster tails, cut in half lengthwise with shell, clean out (fresh or frozen)
½ stick salted butter
1 teaspoon saffron threads (most grocery stores have it)
Pepper to taste
For the sauce
1 cup white wine
1 cup clam juice (optional)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about ½ a lemon)
½ teaspoon salt, any type
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, salted, cut into small cubes
1 avocado, skinned and smashed smooth
1 jalapeno, pan roasted, seeds removed, chopped fine
For the asparagus
10-12 asparagus spears, bottom halves peeled, blanched for 2 minutes in salted water
1 tablespoon butter, salted
2 tablespoons lemon juice (the other ½ of lemon)
Place wine in a small saucepan and simmer and reduce to half.
Add clam juice, then reduce both ingredients in half.
Add lemon juice and simmer slowly for 2 minutes. Add heavy cream and reduce all by half.
Add roasted jalapeno, avocado and butter and whisk in. Keep slightly warm on the stove without a simmer or boil.
Sauté the lobster halves in the saffron and butter in a large sauté pan until just cooked through. The lobster meat should be opaque. Add asparagus to the same pan with the butter and lemon to warm up, and then coat with lemon and butter.
To serve, pour 2-3 ounces of warm avocado beurre blanc on the center of a warm plate. Place 5-6 sauteed asparagus spears on top of the sauce. Place the sauteed saffron lobster tail halves on top of the asparagus. Add a side starch if you want. Garnish with a few saffron threads.
Wine and cocktail pairing suggestions from Tulalip Resort Casino sommelier Tommy Thompson
Cooper & Thief’s “Bourbon Barrel Finished” Red, (California, 2019) will win hearts! A lively complement to Chef Perry’s dish, it is certainly different than any regular red wine and is surprisingly fun. Finished in charred oak barrels, this wine brings out the rich caramel and spice tones transferred from the barrels to this outstanding wine.
For a lovingly crafted cocktail to complement a romantic meal, Blackfish at Tulalip Resort Casino features our own house-barreled 40-Day Barrel Aged Vieux Carre. It is an enticing blend of bitters, Sazerac 6-Year Kentucky Rye Whiskey, Courvoisier VSOP French Cognac, D.O.M. Benedictine French Herbal Liqueur and Carpano Antica Italian Sweet Vermouth. It’s served up over an ice ball with a premium cherry and a lemon twist.
At Blackfish we serve these two ways. We add 2 ounces to a large rocks glass with several pieces of ice, stir for a few seconds and then strain into a large, chilled coupe glass with a large lemon twist and premium cocktail cherry (we marinate in Thomas H. Handy Rye). It is a beautiful cocktail served up. A simpler option is 2 ounces poured over a large ice ball into a large rocks glass and give a slight stir, garnish the same.
Perry Mascitti is the executive chef at Tulalip Resort Casino. Mascitti manages nearly 260 kitchen staff, including chefs, sous chefs and cooks. He’s been at Tulalip since 2007 and has more than 30 years of culinary experience.
