Crab-Stuffed Lobster with Citrus Vinaigrette

To expedite the preparation of the lobsters, ask your fishmonger to briefly steam, split, and clean them (just make sure he doesn't cook them all the way). If you do this, skip Step 3 of the recipe.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed lobster half, 1 claw, and 2 tablespoons vinaigrette)

Ingredients

• Stuffing:
• 1  cup  finely chopped leek
• 1/4  cup  finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4  cup  fresh corn kernels
• 1  pound  lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
• 1  tablespoon  low-fat mayonnaise
• 1  tablespoon  whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  Old Bay seasoning
• 1  teaspoon  fresh lemon juice
• 1  large egg white
• 3  tablespoons  finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2  teaspoons  minced fresh tarragon
• 
  Lobster:
• 5  quarts water
• 4  (1 1/2-pound) whole Maine lobsters
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  cup  coarsely crushed cornflakes
• 
  Vinaigrette:
• 1/2  cup  fresh orange juice
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh chives
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lime juice
• 2  tablespoons  olive oil
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

To prepare stuffing, cook leek in boiling water 2 minutes. Drain and plunge leek into ice water; drain. Pat dry with a paper towel. Place leek, bell pepper, corn, and crab in a large bowl; toss gently to combine. Combine mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients (through egg white) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add mayonnaise mixture to crab mixture; toss gently to coat. Gently fold in parsley and tarragon; set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare lobster, bring 5 quarts water to a boil in an 8-quart stockpot; plunge 2 lobsters headfirst, 1 at a time, into water. Return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Remove lobsters from pan using tongs; drain well. Repeat procedure with the remaining 2 lobsters. Cool lobsters slightly. Remove claws; place claws on a baking sheet. Cut the lobsters in half lengthwise; clean upper cavity of lobsters, leaving white meat intact.

Arrange lobster halves, cut sides up, on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray; spoon 1/2 cup stuffing into cleaned upper cavity of each lobster half. Top stuffing in each lobster half with 1 tablespoon cornflakes, and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Place baking sheet with claws on bottom rack in oven; place jelly-roll pan with stuffed lobster halves on upper rack in oven. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until lobster halves are done and stuffing is lightly browned. Remove the lobster halves from oven; cover and keep warm. Bake claws an additional 10 minutes or until done. Cool claws slightly; remove meat from cooked claws.

To prepare vinaigrette, combine orange juice and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Serve vinaigrette with lobster.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

228 (21% from fat)

Fat:

5.4g (sat 0.7g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.9g)

Protein:

31.1g

Carbohydrate:

12.7g

Fiber:

0.7g

Cholesterol:

120mg

Iron:

2.3mg

Sodium:

774mg

Calcium:

128mg