a recipe for the best way to turn a live lobster into a beautiful meal with sides 10 points?

Lobster Tails Thermidor

4 Lobster Tails

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 small white onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Splash dry white wine or dry sherry

1/2 cup milk, eyeball it

1/3 cup grated white cheddar

1/2 teaspoon paprika or crab boil seasoning, recommended: Old Bay

2 tablespoons Parmesan

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

Handful parsley leaves mixed with 2 cups baby greens, for plate garnish

Lemon wedges, for garnish

Bring a pot of water to a boil, 3 or 4 inches deep. Add lobster tails to the water and boil 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and shock under cold water to cool. Use kitchen scissors to cut away soft underside of tails. Remove meat and save the shells, arranging them in a shallow casserole dish. Chop the cooked meat on an angle into chunks.

Preheat your broiler to high.

Heat a medium skillet and a small saucepot over medium heat. To the small saucepot, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add finely chopped onion and cook 3 to 5 minutes until very soft. To the skillet, add remaining 2 tablespoons butter. When the butter melts, add chopped lobster meat and saute.

Add flour to sauce pot with onions and cook together another 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in wine or sherry, then milk. Remove sauce from heat and stir in cheddar cheese and paprika or crab boil. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over lobster meat and stir to combine. Pour lobster into and over the shells in a casserole dish and top with Parmesan and bread crumbs. Broil on high until golden, 2 or 3 minutes. Serve each tail, spilling over with lobster bits in sauce, on a bed of mixed baby greens and parsley with wedges of lemon along side.

To make this dish with jumbo shrimp, cut up peeled, deveined raw shrimp. Saute the shrimp in butter, as with cooked lobster. Cook until pink and firm and proceed with method. Place the shrimp and sauce into a small casserole, then spoon completed shrimp Thermidor over bed of greens and parsley leaves.

Button Mushrooms

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1-1/2 pounds whole small button mushrooms, cleaned

3 tablespoons butter

Sea salt or coarse salt

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1-1/2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme leaves

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup white wine

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

In a large skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. When the olive oil is hot, sprinkle the mushrooms in a single layer on the olive oil. Do not move or stir the mushrooms until they have caramelized on the bottom, approximately 2 minutes. If you toss them too soon, they will release their liquid and begin to steam. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss them and continue to cook for approximately 5 minutes.

Add the butter and continue to cook and toss for and additional 3 to 5 minutes, until beautifully browned. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic; saute another 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add thyme leaves, lemon juice, and white wine. simmer to evaporate the liquid and until the mushrooms are glazed with the sauce.

Toss in the parsley, transfer to a warm bowl, and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Baked Vanilla Cheesecake

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, chilled

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg

4 tablespoons ice water

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in 2 tablespoons sugar, egg and up to 4 tablespoons ice water to make a dough. Press into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to fit a 10-inch springform pan. Place dough in the pan without stretching. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Filling: Beat cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl; add remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar, egg yolks, milk, oil, cornstarch and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff; fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour into pastry shell.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the center is set. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool in oven with door open slightly. Remove cheesecake from pan and serve or refrigerate.

Makes 10 servings.

Boiling is one of the simplest ways to cook a lobster, and is probably best for the squeamish that don't wish to cut up a live lobster with a knife. Some say that you can 'hypnotize' a lobster by rubbing the top of its head or its abdomen, thereby pacifying it before boiling. The theory is that the adrenaline produced by a frightened lobster adversely affects the texture and flavor of the meat. I have never seen or tasted any evidence of this, but if you want to cover all possible bases, go ahead and hypnotize your lobster. It is important to select a pot big enough to hold enough water to cover the lobsters completely. Bring the water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon salt per quart of water. Put the lobsters in claws first and begin timing from the moment the water comes back to a boil.

To steam lobsters, cook them, covered, in a steamer basket above boiling water. They will need 1 to 2 minutes less, as the steam is hotter than boiling water.

For 1 pound: 5 minutes

1 1/8 pounds: 6 minutes

1 1/4 pounds: 8 minutes

1 1/2 to 2 pounds: 8 to 10 minutes

more than 2 pounds : 12 minutes

Serve with drawn (clarified) butter, boiled red potatoes (or fries), and corn. You can also serve artichoke that can be cooked before the lobster and reheated. Both can be dipped in the butter.

I like lobster best this way, as nothind extra is added to interfere with the taste of a good lobster. Good luck!

Baked Stuffed Lobster Tails

2 live lobsters, each about 1-1/2 pounds

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup onion, finely chopped

(about 1 medium)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon seafood seasoning

(like Stonewall or Old Bay)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 cups crumbled Ritz crackers or common crackers

(about 3 ounces)

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the lobsters for 5 minutes. Remove them from the pot to a tub of ice-water to cool. Use The Incredible Cracker™ to crack and clean the meat from the claws, knuckles and body. Chop this lobster meat into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Use The Incredible Cracker™ tail cutter blade to split the tails lengthwise down the center. Keeping the shells intact, remove the tail meat from the shell. Remove the intestinal track from the meat, and carefully insert the meat back into the shell.

To prepare the stuffing, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and saut̩ until soft. Stir in the chopped parsley, seafood seasoning and lemon juice. Remove the pan from heat and let cool. Stir in the reserved lobster meat. Gently stir in the cracker crumbs. Spoon the stuffing into the lobster tails and refrigerate until ready to bake. Bake stuffed lobster tails in a preheated 425-degree oven until the stuffing is crisp and golden, about 15 Р20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes 2 servings.

hi there ; you want to remember when you are cooking a lobster not to over cook it..when you purchase lobsters from a fish market make sure that the lobster is alive and moving..a lobster that has died before you eat it shouldn't be consumed..you can do your lobster this way>>heat 3 qts. of water and add 3 tablespoons of salt to it; when the water comes to a boil plunge lobsters into water head first; cover and heat to a boil then reduce heat ; simmer for10 Min's. drain and serve with melted butter and a lemon wedge..steam clams, corn on the cob goes real well with the lobster also..for dessert blueberry cake with a lemon sauce on top>>>recipe for lemon butter sauce for the lobster as follows>>1/2cup butter>>1 tablespoon lemon juice>>1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley>>1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce>>heat on low heat until melted stirring constantly>>keep warm>>

Maine Lobster Club Sandwich

4 cups Maine lobster meat, cooked, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 Tablespoon Maine lobster roe, cooked

1/4 cup celery, peeled, finely diced

1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped

1/2 cup lemon mayonnaise

24 slices whole grain or country style bread

4 cups baby arugula

4 heirloom tomatoes, sliced

24 slices apple wood smoked bacon, cooked

2 avocados, sliced

Combine the lobster meat, cooked lobster roe, celery, green onions, and parsley in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the lemon mayonnaise. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Toast the bread. Generously spread one side of each piece of bread with lemon mayonnaise. Top one slice of bread with the arugula, 2 slices of tomatoes, and bacon. Place a toasted piece of bread on top. Add the avocado slices and lobster mixture on top of that. Place the other piece of toast on top, and secure with wooden toothpicks. Cut the sandwich diagonally into 2 pieces. Place on the plate with the sandwich open about 30 degrees so the guest can see the filling.

I am a purist when it comes to lobster. If it's alive, take a look at methods for cooking a live lobster.I serve it with drawn butter, baked potato - sour cream & chives, biscuits, salad and a steamed veggie & dessert of choice.

Plunge lobsters (minus the elastic bands) in boiling water for 15 minutes.

Serve with garlic butter and lots of napkins.

On the side, serve steamed green beans tossed in butter and lemon, and potato salad.

For dessert -- key lime sorbet from the grocery store.

dont know recipes but if you stick the lobster in the freezer it will go to sleep and not screech when you put in the water

Grilled Lobster with Grilled Parmesan Broccoli, and

Wild Rice Pilaf (and Caramel Delight Cocktail)

(serving size for all are 2)

Grilled Lobster

2 lobster tails, thawed if frozen (6-8-oz. each)

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon rosemary

1/4 teaspoon sage

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne, to taste

1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese

Holding each lobster tail shell side down, cut away the ribbed membrane as close to the shell as possible with kitchen shears.

Remove lobster meat in one piece from each shell, rinse and pat dry.

Sprinkle each with lemon juice and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt butter with the minced garlic over low heat.

Remove from heat.

In a plastic ziplock bag, combine bread crumbs, herbs, garlic powder, cayenne and Parmesan cheese.

Roll the lobster meat in the garlic butter and shake them in the plastic bag with the bread crumb mixture to coat.

Return the lobster meat to their shells.

Grill the lobster tails, shell sides down, on a rack 4-6 inches over glowing coals with some hickory chips added, turning from side to side but not turning over, for 10 minutes.

Cover and grill another 5 to 10 minutes until they are just cooked through.

Grilled Parmesan Broccoli

2 cups fresh broccoli stems

7/8 tablespoon lemon juice

2/3 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Place broccoli in large bowl.

Combine next four ingredients, drizzle over broccoli, and toss to coat; let stand for half an hour.

Spray grill rack before preparing grill for indirect heat.

Toss broccoli again and drain marinade; place Parmesan in large ziploc bag and shake broccoli, a few pieces at a time, with the cheese to coat.

Grill broccoli, covered, over indirect medium heat for 8-10 minutes on each side or until crisp-tender

Wild Rice Pilaf

Just remember that the broth is already diluted, so don't add water! Also, feel free to add other herbs of your choice.

1/3 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 large onion, chopped

1/3 cup chopped carrots

1/3 cup sliced celery

2/3 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup uncooked wild rice

2/3 (14 ounce) can swanson vegetable broth

1/3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

2/3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet.

Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until tender.

Add wild rice and broth.

Heat to a boil.

Cover and cook over low heat for 25 minutes.

Add white rice.

Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until done.

Stir in parsley.

Caramel Delight

2 ounces Amarula cream liqueur

2 ounces vodka

2 ounces butterscotch schnapps (Buttershots)

1 teaspoon caramel syrup, to garnish

1 teaspoon chocolate syrup, to garnish

cinnamon-sugar mixture, to garnish

Coat the rim of two chilled martini glasses with caramel dip into cinnamon and sugar mixture then drizzle the caramel and chocolate inside the glass.

In a shaker add the first 3 ingredients with a 12 of ice cubes. Give a really good shake.

Pour into prepared glasses with or without ice.

Enjoy!