Steamed Lobster Tails en Papillote #FishFridayFoodies

It's time for Fish Friday Foodies' February event. We are a group of seafood-loving bloggers, rallied by Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm, to share fish and seafood recipes on the third Friday of the month. This is, easily, my favorite recipe sharing event of the month. I always come away with a list of recipes that I just have to try!

This month, Sue of Palatable Pastime is hosting. She asked us to make any kind of seafood or fish baked in parchment or foil (en papillote).

en pa·pi·llote

äN ˌpapēˈyōt/

adjective & adverb

1. (of food) cooked and served in a paper wrapper

The Line-Up of Wrap-Ups

An InLinkz Link-up

Steamed Lobster Tails en Papillote

While I have cooked a lot of seafood en papillote - Halibut with Onion Jam, Tapenade-Topped Sablefish, and even Campfire Steelhead while camping - I realized that I'd never tried lobster en papillote. And I just happened to have four lobster tails ready for Valentines' dinner. So...we gave it a try. To further the celebration, I made the parchment pieces into hearts. I know, I'm corny that way.

Ingredients serves 4

• 4 (5-ounce) lobster tails 
• 1/2 C (equals 8 T) white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1/4 C (equals 4 T) olive oil
• 1 t flake salt
• bunch of organic asparagus
• Also needed parchment paper

Procedure

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Cut four lengths of parchment paper to about 20 inches. Fold in half and cut out (half) a heart...it'll be a full heart when you unfold it! Place the parchment hearts on a cutting board.

Using kitchen shears, cut each lobster tail down the back, stopping at the last segment before the tail piece. Bend back the tail until you hear a loud crack. Slip a knife between the meat and the bottom membrane, freeing tail meat from the shell. Pull the meat up and over the shell, closing the shell shut beneath it. The tail meat, then, piggybacks on top of the shell. Place the lobster in the center of the heart - on the crease.

Sprinkle with salt and place trimmed asparagus alongside the tail. Drizzle with 1 T olive oil and 2 T white wine.

Starting at the top of the heart, fold edges of parchment, sealing edges with narrow folds. Twist the end tip to secure tightly. Repeat with all four, then place packets on a baking sheet.

Bake at 425° F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand 5 minutes.

Let diners open their own hearts. Enjoy! Though this was a special Valentines' dinner, I encourage people to celebrate love everyday...not just on February 14th.