Lobster Nachos
So you want to make Sous Vide Lobster Nachos, eh? If you’re like me and sick and tired of being served crappy nachos in restaurants or dive bars. This will resurrect your faith in one of the most ordered appetizers in the world. This is so special that you’ll drop easily $20 per serving so think twice before you do this for 50 people. hahahha
It’s been years since I last made this and evolution has occurred. NOW, you can never go backward after doing this technique. So what is different? Sous Vide Lobster. There’s a very specific thing that elevates the lobster. Perfect texture and no worries overcooking it. As a bonus letting the lobster cook longer allows you to perfect your Mornay Sauce and perfect your presentation without worrying overcooking the sea-bug. Nothing worse then rushing a masterpiece and destroying a $20 lobster.
Sous Vide
For the fun part! This is how it works. Before you do this understand your plan before you get into the lobster. IF you have claws you have to cook this first at a higher temperature at 150F for 20 min. Using the existing water you will want chill that water quickly before adding the bag of tails and get it close to 134F, unless of course you’re a baller and have two Sues Vide tubs and your disposal and ready. There are several ideas how long to cook the tails but for nachos, my magic number is 134F. Make sure you add in the claw bag at the same time to continue cooking. Here’s the best part you only have to cook them for 25 min. You can leave them in there at that temperature for a total maximum of 1 hour without worrying about over cooking them. But why would you want to wait that long anyway right?
- Getting the meat out of the shell: With the shell still on. Parboil in an aggressive pot of rolling boiling water. 1-2 min max. Remove immediately into a ice bath. This only helps get the meat out a little easier. If you want to go Commando and go raw all the power to you.
- Cut the meat out, keep it all in tact don’t butcher it taking it out.
- Separate Claws from the tail and place each type into their own Sous Vide bag. Add 1 Tbsp of butter per tail into the bag. You can add some salt and garlic if you like. I say skip it, too many competing flavours. Your choice you’re the king/queen!
Lobster
Okay let’s get this out of the way. If you ‘re starting from a live bug, do the right thing and slice a knife through its head first. Don’t be a dick and plop it into the hot water alive.
Tips
Chip Tip: The very best chip to use is the thick corn ones. Do not compromise with thin chips or even worse flavoured chips.
Tomato Tip: If your center is full of seeds. Cut them out and discard.
Jalapeño Tip: When you slice them make sure you try one and be sure it’s hot. Some of those things taste like a green pepper. If they do don’t even use it. Better off cooking without it.
Mornay Sauce Tip: Take your time with this. Don’t let it get clumpy or too runny. If it’s clumpy add more cold milk and whisk it in really well, show who’s boss. If it’s runny keep simmering it. Get it right, yo! It should be creamy and silky smooth. Once it is cooked do NOT let it simmer. Take it off the heat.
Lobster Tip: This is going to be key. If you’re doing just tails then you don’t have to worry. IF you’re doing claws the cooking rules are going to be different. Claws require more heat then the tail. Unless you have two Vide’s you’ll have to cook the claw first, cool the water quickly with cold water or ice cubes before doing the tail and adding the claw to keep warm.
Choices! You can use the Mornay sauce when you cook the nachos OR you can put some shredded cheddar instead. Then have the Mornay as a dipping sauce. Death by cheese! Personally, I slice my cheese thin and intentionally place it on the chips, making sure all chips get it. Peeve of mine when you get nachos and at the bottom those naked chips are all lonely and sad.
Then with the sauce I drizzle hot to my liking just before serving, paying attention to presentation.
MUSIC & WINE PAIRING
I’ve said it before music and wine always make food taste better.
- Wine – What can I say I’m a sucker for a good California Chardonnay!
- Music List– (Boney M) Hey, it’s my blog I can DJ what I want!
- Daddy Cool
- Ma Baker
- River of Babylon
- Rasputin
News Flash: Lobsters are cockroaches! So for all you Entomophagy connoisseurs out there. There is a new reason to try out this recipe! Check out this article and decide for yourself! And for your boaters out there you’re set if you can catch sea bugs under your boat!
Sous Vide Lobster Nachos
Ingredients
- Tortilla Corn Chips
- 1 Jalapeno Diced
- 1/2 lbs Canadian Lobster Tail Thawed if frozen.
Pico De Gallo (Dry Salsa)
- 1 cup Diced Tomatoes (Plum) Pat dry you don't want water.
- 1/2 cup Diced Sweet (Vidalia) Onion Don't be a dumb ass and use a Spanish onion.
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 1/4 cup Cilantro Chopped
- Sea Salt to taste
Chipotle Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
- 1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo, minced.
- 1 tbsp Lime Juice
Mornay Sauce
- 2 1/2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 3 tbsp All purpose flour
- 2 cups Whole milk, cold.
- 1 cup White cheddar, grated
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Pico De Gallo by mixing together all ingredients except salt. Once mixed, season to taste with salt and let sit at room temperature until ready to use.
- Make the chipotle sour cream by whisking together all ingredients. Set aside in refrigerator.
- If you're cooking with a Sous Vide see my note above.
- Mornay sauce: Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until pale yellow, 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, whisking, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in cheese until melted. Season with salt and white pepper.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place chips in a 12 inch cast iron skillet, or other oven proof pan, top with cheese and jalapeños. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Meanwhile, heat butter and a splash of oil in a skillet over medium heat until butter melts. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in lobster tails and cook just until warmed through about 3 minutes. SKIP this if you're doing it with Sous Vide.
- Remove nachos from the oven. Strategically place the lobster chunks (cut into pieces) over the dish. Drizzle with your Mornay sauce and dab with chipotle sour cream and top with Pico De Gallo in that order. Take it easy on the Cilantro garnish. Serve immediately.
- If this doesn't get you a hot date I don't know what will.
This was absolutely wonderful, but I do have to ask, where does the Mornay sauce come in? The recipe has you make it but does not mention it again. I served it on the side as a dip but I wonder if it should have been put on the nachos and baked in the oven? Please advise. TY for a wonderful dinner. Deb
I noticed that too but if you look at step below making the sauce I think it’s being referred to as cheese at that point 🙂 step five says add cheese. They mean the sauce ;). Hope this helps.
Ate five days cheese. They are referring to the sauce bc step four you add cheese when making the sauce. Hope this helps 🙂
You are welcome! I’ve updated this page and elevated it more. Have fun on your next batch!
Am dying to give this a try, but Step 3 of the Sous Vide instructions is confusing. After adding lobster to the individual bags, it says, to “Add 1 Tbsp per tail into the bag” – a Tbsp of what, please?
Good catch…I forgot to add the good stuff. Butter. 🙂