so sad

My daughter is always after me to buy lobster tails, but they are expensive. So when a tree branch fell on her new car (10 days old, 147 miles) smashing the back window and damaging the trunk, etc.  I figured she needed a pick me up and bought some.

Just so you understand the Calamity Jane reference, her new car was a replacement for one totaled when someone (a priest) ran a stop sign a month or so ago, the day after she had recovered enough to go back to work from a work related injury. (Someone kicked the big ass freezer door into her.)

I wanted to grill them, it being summer and all, but had never done that before. I googled “grilled lobster tails” and found a technique that looked interesting, but since I needed to do it “heart healthy,” butter was out of the equation.

Here is what I came up with. The tails were insanely good, I must say and I hope they can change my daughter’s “car-ma” .

Grilled Lobster Tails

For 4-6 “tails”

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
1 tsp fresh tarragon
dash of vanilla extract (1/16 tsp)

Combine the above ingredients. Don’t omit the vanilla. I know it sounds weird, but the floral notes of the vanilla are great with lobster.

Cut the lobster tails in half lengthwise. Baste the exposed meat with the extra virgin olive oil mixture. Heat the grill.  Place the tails, meat side down, and grill about 3 minutes or until the shell starts to turn red and you have nice grill marks on the meat. If the meat is white and the shell starting to turn red, that is the better indicator of the tails being ready to turn than the grill marks.  Turn and cook until the rest of the shell turns red.

When you turn them the meat should be opaque

Cook just til the shells turn red

Do not overcook!

They were tender and well flavored—no butter or any sauce was necessary.  In fact, they were so good,  I may never use butter with lobster again. Enjoy and eat well!