Leftover Lobster Creations!

Enjoyed a delicious night of lobster dinner but have some leftover that you’re not sure what to do with? Of course you don’t want to toss it… and rightfully so! Not only is lobster delicious, it isn’t exactly the cheapest item. Read on for some ideas on some scrumptious creations with your glorious leftover crustacean.

It may depend on the quality of the lobster to begin with, or maybe the cooking method the lobster went through.  For example, a lobster having gone through the steaming method is more likely to have a less tough texture than one that has gone through the broiler.  This isn’t always the case, but the tail curls and becomes tougher through dry heat, even for immediate serving.  Anyway, this can matter because there certainly are different dishes that can highlight the different textures and flavors of the meats.  

If you’ve never tried this before, it can be a Thai version of Chinese hot and sour soup, to give you an idea.  The flavors and consistency are very different, but it does contain the “hot” and “sour” components.  It is not for the weak palate, as the lemongrass, cilantro, chili peppers and spices in conjunction with the heat level that it should be served at can really give you a wonderful kick to the face (I mean this in a good way).  As you can imagine, this is a great soup to clear up those sinuses or when you’re sick and in need of a pick me up that is soothing as well.  Regardless of whether you’re ill or not, it is probably one of the most popular Thai soups enjoyed everywhere.  This soup is served in various different ways, but usually with prawns, chicken, and/or mixed seafood.  As you can imagine, since prawns are one of the main ingredients, lobster will be a complementary similar twist.

I’d recommend creating this soup if you have tougher lobster leftovers.  The lobster will probably continue to cook a bit in the heat and so the meat will add to the nice combination of different textures already in the soup (like the more tender mushrooms).  You can probably create a near authentic soup, as lobster does not stray too far from prawn.

Mac and Cheese is one of the classic American home meals of all time.  I love how Mac and Cheese can be twisted into so many different kinds of versions; it can be served in so many ways with various ingredients you never thought would complement it (i.e. bbq pork chops!).  The great thing about Mac and Cheese is that it can be completely basic and simple (think blue box) or it can be kicked up a few notches with some prime ingredients to be something extraordinary.  I’d recommend trying different combinations of cheeses other than the powdered or square sliced kind… like Gruyere, Havarti, Gouda  or White Cheddar.  Add in some milk, a little heavy cream, and a scoop of Dijon mustard, and you can experience a cheesiness like you never have before!  Then the lobster gives the extra flavor and texture along with the macaroni, penne, rotini, cavatappi, or rigatoni pasta cooked to al dente.  Optionally, add some breadcrumbs (I love using Panko crumbs mixed with a bit of shredded parmesan) on top of a casserole dish filled with the Mac and Cheese and bake in the oven until the top turns golden brown and crispy.  Voila… a cheesy masterpiece with pizzazz!

Depends on how you’re preparing it.  I recommend that if you have tougher meat, chop up the meat into smaller pieces and fold it in after the sauce has been created to minimize any more heat and cooking.  If the lobster is still in its succulent shape and you have enough, divide them into larger chunks and put it in before the bake (if you choose to bake).

If you enjoyed your lobster on a Saturday night, then the leftovers are perfect for Sunday brunch!  (Or really, brunch of any day of the week.)  There are so many brunch items that can be improvised beautifully for lobster.  One of my favorites is lobster scrambled eggs – fold them into beaten eggs while scrambling, and add in a touch of truffle oil, sea salt and cracked pepper.    You could also create a French toast lobster sandwich, with savory components instead of sweet.  Substitute the usual fluffy bread for hard crusted bread, like a French baguette or sour dough to create the French toast with, and skip out on the powdered sugar, and maybe add in some fine sea salt and/or pepper.  Create a lobster salad any way you like (similar to a chicken or tuna salad you like to make), and there you have it.  Another idea is to craft Lobster and Bacon Grits – fairly simple, and improvised any way you like!  

For the lobster scrambled eggs and French toast lobster sandwich, I’d recommend using more of the tender meat divided into large chunks, especially for the sandwich.  For the grits, it can really go either way because of the porridge-like consistency.  You can highlight the lobster as a star, or use it to support the flavor and give way to the bacon. 

Just remember, the melted butter used from last night doesn’t have to be thrown out – any of these dishes can be created with butter to add in some richness.

In this article, I’ve listed 5 different kinds of ways to use leftover lobster.  From seeing that you can use lobster for unique or common home-style dishes, I hope that I’ve gotten your creative juices flowing, as there are so many other options out there.  Good luck and enjoy!