Hook, line and savor! James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Mina's newest restaurant is Seablue, in Las Vegas, inspired by the bustling ports and marketplaces of the Mediterranean. Fish and shellfish are flown in from around the world daily and prepared in two lively open show kitchens.
 | Ingredients: Wooden Coffee Stir Sticks or Ice Cream Sticks cut in half 1 tsp canola oil 1/8 small fennel bulb, minced ( about 2 tbsp) 6 ounces raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined 1 tbsp heavy cream 10 oz cooked lobster meat, coarsely chopped 2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, chopped Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper For the batter: 1 ½ cups All-Purpose flour 1 cup plus 2 tbsp yellow corn meal ½ cup sugar 1 ½ tbsp baking powder 1 ½ tbsp salt 1 ½ cups milk 2 large eggs Canola Oil for deep-frying Instructions 1. Place a small sauté pan over medium heat and coat with the canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the fennel and sauté until just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. 2. Put the shrimp in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add the cream and puree until the mixture becomes creamy and mousse-like. Add the lobster and pulse briefly to combine; you want to still have chunky pieces of lobster meat for added texture. 3. Transfer the seafood mousse to a mixing bowl. Mix in the sautéed fennel and tarragon; season with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Spoon the mousse mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, or alternatively cut off the corner of a plastic Zip-lock bag. 4. Tear off a foot-long sheet of plastic wrap and lay it out on the counter. Pipe the lobster mixture across the long side of the plastic, leaving a 1-inch border at each end. Roll the plastic wrap away from you very tightly around the mixture, keeping the tension on the plastic so it’s snug. Twist the ends as tightly as possible to form a compressed cylinder, about 1 foot long and 1 inch in diameter. Tie the ends in a knot to be sure the roll stays waterproof. Repeat until the lobster mixture is all used; you should have 3 long logs. 5. Fill a roasting pan halfway with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Put the “lobster sausage” in the water and poach for 5 minutes, until they are firm to the touch. Remove to the freezer or an ice bath to cool completely. Cut off 1 end of the plastic and carefully squeeze out the logs. Slice the logs into 1 ½- inch links. You should have 20 to 21 pieces. Push a stick halfway into each link to secure. 6. To prepare the batter, combine the flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. in a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs until well blended. Whisk the milk texture into the dry ingredients until the batter is very smooth, thick, and without lumps. You want the consistency to be fairly thick, similar to waffle batter. 7. Heat about 3 inches of oil in a large heavy pot or deep fryer to 350 degrees F. Use a frying thermometer to check the temperature. 8. How each link by the stick and dunk them into the batter to coat evenly, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Carefully lay the corn dogs in the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, turning with tongs for even color. Remove the lobster corn dogs to a platter lined with paper towels to drain and season lightly with salt. Serve hot with mustard sauce for dipping. |