Wood-grilled Lobster with Potato Gnocchi and Toasted Walnuts
In this stunning dish, the slightly smoky flavor from the charcoal and applewood is complemented by the toasted nuts. Gnocchi are small potato dumplings. If you don’t want to make them, they may be purchased frozen in many markets.
Ingredients
- Potato Gnocchi
- Russet potatoes - 2, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- Egg Yolks - 3, lightly beaten
- Water - 1/2 to 2/3 cup
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- All-Purpose Flour - 1-1/2 cups
- Lobster
- Applewood Chips - 1 cup
- Lobsters - four, 1-1/2-pound
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Unsalted Butter - 1 cup (2 sticks)
- Finely Chopped Walnuts - 2 cups
- Garnish
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Zucchini - 1, sliced into thin rounds
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Julienned zest of 1 lemon
- Parsley - 1/2 bunch, stemmed and minced
- Parmesan Cheese - 1/4 cup, freshly grated
Instructions
To make the gnocchi: Place the potato cubes in a saucepan and cover them with lightly-salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. Dust a work surface with flour. Mash the potatoes in a ricer or food mill and pile on the floured surface. Make a well in the center of the mound and add the yolks, water, salt, and pepper. With your fingers, mix in the flour little at a time and knead the mixture to incorporate.
On a floured surface, form the dough into a strip 1/2-inch wide and 2 to 3 feet long. Cut the strip into 1/2-inch pieces, then roll each into a ball. Using 2 forks, roll the balls the full length of the fork prong, pressing at the end to create a pocket in the middle with a fork mark at the end. Continue with the remaining dough and set the gnocchi aside.
To prepare the lobster: Light a fire in a charcoal grill and soak the applewood chips in water to cover. Kill the lobsters by making a small incision with the point of a knife in the back of the shell where the head and back meet. Cut of the tails and claws; reserve the bodies and knuckles for making stock (remove and discard the sand sac behind the eyes and the spongy gills along the body walls). Cut the tails in half lengthwise and remove and discard the intestinal vein that runs down the tail. Set the tails aside. Bring a medium stockpot of lightly salted water to a boil and boil the claws for 3 minutes. Drain the claws and place them in a bowl of ice water to stop further cooking.
Bring the pot of water back to a boil. Coat the shells of the lobster tails and claws with oil. When the coals are hot, drain the soaked wood chips and sprinkle them over the coals. Grill the split lobster tails meat-side down for 4 to 5 minutes. While the lobster is cooking, drop the gnocchi in the pot of boiling water and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they rise to the surface. Remove the cooked lobster from the grill and set aside. Drain the gnocchi in a colander; set aside and keep warm.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the walnuts. Cook until the walnuts are toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Pull the lobster meat from the tail section and add to the walnuts, along with the claw meat still in the shell. Toss to coat; set aside.
To make the garnish: In a small pan, melt the butter and add the zucchini rounds. Cook until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt nd pepper and remove from heat.
To serve: Arrange the lobster on the plate and garnish with the sauteed zucchini. Sprinkle the lobster meat with the lemon zest and chopped parsley. Sprinkle the finished dish with the Parmesan cheese and add the gnocchi.
