Astakos Plaki - Lobster in Tomato Sauce with Saffron Rice

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Title: Astakos Plaki - Lobster in Tomato Sauce with Saffron Rice
Categories: Ethnic, Fish/sea, Rice/grains, Sauces
Yield: 4 servings

2 Lobsters (about 2 lbs each) 4 Sun-dried tomatoes (in oil)
- (live, or recently dead) - pounded to a paste
25 Saffron strands; soaked in 1/2 c White wine
1/4 c Hot water 1/4 c Orange juice
1/4 lb Finely chopped onion 1 Bay leaf
1 md Leek; washed, finely chopped Salt & freshly
ground Pepper
8 tb Fruity olive oil 1/2 c Finely chopped Fennel
3 Garlic cloves; minced 1/2 c Minced flat-leaf Parsley
1 lb Tomatoes; skinned, seeded, 1 tb Finely chopped fresh Mint
- and finely chopped Saffron Rice

If you have live lobsters, plunge them into a pan of boiling water for 1
minute, then into cold water.

To prepare the lobsters, break off the claws and crack them open with a
hammer. Cut off the tip of the tail (with the fins), then sever the tail
where it joins the head with a heavy knife. Cut the tail into rings,
slicing through the shell between the ribs.

Split the head open lengthwise with a hard blow of a knife and remove and
discard the gritty stomach sac. Pour the coral (if any) and the green
matter (which is the liver) into a stainer over a bowl, sprinkle with salt
and pepper, and reserve. Put the saffron to soak.

In a heavy-bottomed pan big-enough to contain the lobsters and sauce, fry
the onion and leek gently in 3 tablespoons olive oil until translucent. Add
the garlic, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and liquid, wine, orange juice,
and bay leaf. Season and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Add the fennel, parsley, mint, saffron and liquid, and lobster tail pieces
and claws with their shells (but not the legs) and simmer, covered, for 10
minutes.

In the meantime push the coral and liver of the lobster through the
strainer and beat the pur‚e with the remaining olive oil. When the lobster
has simmered for 10 minutes, ladle out about 1 cup sauce and beat this into
the coral pur‚e. Pour this back into the pot, stir, and simmer for another
10 minutes. Serve with saffron rice.

Source: Recipes from a Greek Island - by Susie Jacobs ISBN: 0-671-74531-X

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