Lobster and Roasted Red Pepper Dip

This is a recipe modeled after a similar one at one of the restaurants here in Richmond. It's easy enough and definitely worth making if you want to impress a party.

You will need:

3 tbsp salted butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 lb lobster meat
2 tablespoons finely chopped roasted red peppers
1 tsp dried dill weed
8 oz neufchatel cheese

Over medium heat melt the butter and add the garlic. Add the lobster and cook for several minutes, stirring often with a spatula, until done. Make sure to watch so the butter doesn't burn. Halfway through add the red peppers. In a blender or countertop mixer, put the neufchatel and dill weed. Take the lobster off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before adding to the neufchatel mixture. Blend until almost all chunks are gone. This makes about a cup, serve with pita chips or flatbread.

Lobster Bisque

This is a quick, relatively easy recipe for lobster bisque. It calls for a lb of chunk lobster meat, which you can either harvest yourself or buy in the seafood section of more upscale grocers. This recipe serves 3.

You will need:

2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
4 tbsp flour
1/3 white onion
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb lobster meat
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Heat the milk, salt, broth, peppers and onion over medium heat and allow to simmer. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the lobster. Stir with a spatula every few minutes for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Take the broth mixture off the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Using a blender or food processor, combine the lobster meat (as well as drippings/butter from the pan) with the broth and onion until finely mixed. Put back on the heat and add the Worcestershire sauce and flour, whisk well. Keep hot several minutes (to thicken) or until ready to serve.