Garlic-Black Pepper Lobster with Lemongrass Fried Rice

One of Blue Ginger’s showstoppers: wok-tossed lobster in a punchy garlic-black pepper sauce over fragrant lemongrass fried rice.

Ingredients

• 2 live lobsters (about 1 1/2 lb each), split and cut into pieces
• 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 scallions, sliced, white and green separated
• 2 tablespoons coarsely cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons cold butter
• 1 small onion, diced (for rice)
• 2 stalks lemongrass, tender core minced (for rice)
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger (for rice)
• 4 cups cooked day-old jasmine rice
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Make the rice: heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat and sweat the onion, garlic (reserve some for lobster), ginger, and lemongrass until fragrant, 2 minutes.
2. Add the cooked rice and stir-fry until hot and slightly crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Finish with lemon juice and salt. Keep warm.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large hot wok or saute pan. Add the lobster pieces shell-side down and sear until the shells turn red, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, scallion whites, and cracked black pepper; toss 30 seconds until aromatic.
5. Deglaze with the white wine, then add the chicken stock and fish sauce. Cover and cook until the lobster is just done, 4 to 5 minutes.
6. Swirl in the cold butter to emulsify the sauce; check seasoning.
7. Mold the lemongrass fried rice on plates, top with the lobster and sauce, and garnish with scallion greens.

Notes

Adapted from Ming Tsai’s garlic-black pepper lobster, a signature Blue Ginger entree.