Lobster with Black Bean Sauce

Kyle did a post a couple weeks ago on my dad's lobster and Chinese food feast he made for us. We got some requests for the recipe, so I thought I'd post it instead of replying in the comments section since it might get lost that way. Thanks so much for all your kind comments--the ultimate compliment are requests for recipes or recommendations for restaurants! We also love our guest bloggers or the recipe/cooking tips you add to our blog. It helps us get one more step closer to quiting the day job for a dream job at the Travel Channel or Food Network!

Lobster with Black Bean Sauce
A Steve Sumida Original Recipe

Ingredients:
4 spiny lobster tails
¼ lb unseasoned ground pork
1 to 2 tablespoons Chinese salted black beans (dau see)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 thin slices fresh ginger, slivered
2 stalks green onion, sliced thin
½ cup chicken broth or stock
¼ cup coarsely minced cilantro
Soy sauce, salt, and pepper
1 raw egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons oil (Asian peanut oil is preferred, such as Lion and Globe brand)

Cut each lobster tail into 3 or 4 pieces, crosswise, or split lengthwise.
Lightly season the ground pork with salt and pepper.
Rinse and drain the dau see. Add one to two tablespoons of soy sauce. (A splash of Chinese rice wine or dry sherry can also be added, for more flavor.) Mash the dau see mixture lightly with minced garlic and 2 tablespoons of the green onion.


Heat the oil to smoking in a wok or large pan.
Quickly stir fry the ground pork. Break up the lumps, but do not scorch.
Add and stir fry the lobster pieces. Add the ginger. With just enough oil, smoking hot, the lobster shells should glaze up and shine.
Add the dau see mixture and the remaining green onion. Stir everything.
Add the chicken broth, boil quickly, and cover for a minute.
Add the beaten egg and stir. This should thicken the sauce. If more thickness is desired, add a couple of tablespoons of a cornstarch slurry.
Transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Notes: So-called “lobster sauce” is basically a stir-fried mix of ground pork, chicken broth, and black beans with minced garlic. It is cooked with lobster but contains no lobster by itself. Two live Maine lobsters may substitute for the four spiny lobster tails. Split each lobster lengthwise, head and tail, and adjust seasonings to fit the larger pieces. King crab and Dungeness crab can also be cooked this way.

Happy Eating,

Emi