Lobster Scampi de Jonghe

“Lobster Scampi de Jonghe is rich with butter, sherry and garlic. Crispy bread crumbs soak up this delectable sauce and the best part is this special dish can be prepared in under thirty minutes.”

I think I was the only one that didn’t know Valentine’s Day is tomorrow. When the kids were little ones I knew this. Perhaps it was the planning of the parties that alerted me or perhaps it was making those special mailboxes to collect all those valentines, but let’s just say that this year I thought Valentine’s Day fell on Thursday, which leaves me scrambling like most people to find a decent card that’s still on the rack. It also left me in a rush to get to Whole Foods where they are celebrating Valentine’s Day big time. Not only do they have a great deal on roses; they have great deals on steak and lobster.I’ve always been a fan of lobster but sometimes the big tails are a bit too pricey for me, in which case I turn to the small 4 ounce lobster tails. When Manservant is craving steak I go buy a few of these mini lobster tails and they make my meal as special as his. In fact, I also buy these cute petite tails when they are on sale, so I always have some to grill or add to dishes like paella. Sometime in my teenage years I discovered that I loved lobster.  One year I even remember ordering it for homecoming, which shocked the heck out of the guy I was sitting next too. Not sure I ever saw him again! After that I learned never to order the most expensive thing on the menu!

My mother, on the other hand loves to tell a different story of lobster. It so happens that on the night she met her future in laws she thought she was being quite sophisticated and ordered lobster from the restaurant menu. My father’s parents, who were simple people and kept kosher, almost blew a gasket. “What kind of a girl are you marrying? Is she a shiksa?” Well, the marriage did go as planned, (I am living testimony…) but I have learned that lobster has protocols that one must follow if eating in a restaurant with people you don’t know very well.

In Kankakee, lobster was not easy to come by. Well maybe it was and my parents never told me about it. So I discovered shrimp. (You can see the keeping kosher part of the family must have been ruined by the Jewish shiksa!) After earning my driver’s license, my friends and I would take drives into the “country” along the river, where there were always a few good restaurants. Eagle Island Supper Club was where we often found ourselves chowing down on Shrimp de Jonghe or fried frog’s legs. Too bad it has disappeared into the sunset. Even Al Capone ate there in his day. They used to begin meals with a relish tray, which was a good thing, because we used to work up quite an appetite getting there. Carrots and radishes never looked so good. Hmmmm.

Shrimp de Jonghe, if you’ve never heard of it, is similar to shrimp scampi. In fact I might dare say, that they are virtually the same dish, but scampi is served with pasta and de Jonghe is not. Scampi is also made with oil, where as de Jonghe has the richness of butter; in its favor, I would say. Shrimp de Jonghe originated in Chicago,  but the restaurant that made it famous was shut down during Prohibition when it was discovered they were bootlegging liquor. Go figure. There is even sherry in the sauce!

Whole Foods wanted us to celebrate Valentine’s Day (which is kind of funny because they just announced they were shutting down the Ambassador program) with lobster or steak. Since I haven’t made Shrimp de Jonghe in years, I decided to adapt it to Lobster Scampi de Jonghe, that way you can decide whether or not to serve this with pasta. With all of its rich buttery savory sauce, it is enough to satisfy and savor all on its own.  Lobster versus shrimp, makes it all the more luscious, so if you don’t feel the need to add pasta, then don’t. You won’t miss it. A simple green salad is more than enough to round out your meal.  I’m pretty certain that you will love this lobster as much as I do. Perfect for a last minute special dinner, this lobster scampi de Jonghe is ready in under 30 minutes.

In case you are in the mood for lobster check out Broiled Lobster Tails from Cooking On The Ranch and Lobster Grilled Cheese? How decadent is that? Thanks Foodie Crush!

A Few More Romantic Recipes:

4 Ingredient Fettuccine Alfredo

 Scallops with Lemon and Garlic

  Chocolate Lava Cake

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Lobster Scampi de Jonghe

• Author: Abbe Odenwalder
• Prep Time: 20 Minutes
• Cook Time: 10 Minutes
• Total Time: 30 Minutes
• Yield: 2-4 Servings 1x
• Category: Mains or Appetizers
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Lobster Scampi de Jonghe is rich with butter, sherry and garlic. Crispy bread crumbs soak up this delectable sauce and the best part is this special dish can be prepared in under thirty minutes.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 4 four to five ounce petite lobster tails
• 1/2 c melted butter
• 2 T sherry
• 1 1/2 c Panko bread crumbs
• 2 T minced parsley
• 2 T minced shallot
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 t sweet paprika
• Pinch of cayenne
• 1 t fresh minced tarragon
• 1 T minced sweet onion

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400. Boil lobster until just pink. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Do not over cook. Lobster will not be cooked all the way through, but will finish cooking in the oven. With cooking shears cut through the middle of the underside of the tail. Remove both slices of lobster and slice into good sized chunks.
2. Combine lobster chunks with half of the melted butter and sherry.
3. Mix remaining butter with bread crumbs and remaining ingredients.
4. Using four baking shells or a shallow casserole dish, spoon half of the lobster into each shell or the casserole. Top with half of the crumb mixture. Top that with the rest of the lobster. Finish off with the rest of the bread crumbs.
5. Bake in 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until bread crumbs are lightly browned. Garnish with fresh tarragon if desired. Serve immediately!

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Notes

May also be prepared with shrimp.

Keywords: lobster, shrimp de jonghe, seafood, mini lobster tails, seafood.