Chilled Grilled Lobster tails with Limoncello Spiked Salsa

“If you work on a lobster boat, sneaking up behind someone and pinching him is probably a joke that gets of real fast”

After testing a few recipes for our Christmas Eve dinner I decided to make the grilled lobster gazpacho since I am not making Cioppino this year, two soups just a bit redundant.  A fresh gazpacho lobster cocktail with a perky dressing made with Limoncello, perfect colors for a Christmas celebration and a great starter for a casual dinner…For the dressing:

• Thoroughly blend :
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon bottled or homemade Limoncello
• 2 tablespoons minced chives
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon honey mustard
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Fine dice ½ of an English cumber, 4-5 medium tomatoes, ¼ of a large sweet onion, 3 green onions, thinly sliced, a hand full of cilantro chopped, 3 baby yellow and orange peppers, and 3 baby red peppers.  Mix all together and add the thoroughly blended dressing, cover and chill stirring often.

Split the lobster tails brush with Limoncello and EVOO and either grill on a grill or grill pan.  Allow to cool and either pull chunks or allow for 1/2 intact tail per serving (the small lobster tails work perfectly for this dish).  They grill rather quickly and 1/2 is perfect for a light appetizer.  You can use grilled claws, but I can never find them and of course grill a whole live lobster if you like.

Serve gazpacho in chilled martini or small margarita glasses, top with chilled lobster.

Buon Natale