Ease of Preparation: Easy
Time of Preparation: 45 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings
For a seafood spread to remember, look no further than this recipe! Everything briny and delicious is here: sweet lobster, rich king crab, and plump shrimp simmer alongside spicy Andouille sausage, creamy potatoes and fresh corn!
Ingredients:
Seasoning Blend:
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) mustard seeds
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) whole allspice berries
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) dill seeds
- 8 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) celery seeds
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) paprika
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cayenne
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) onion powder
Seafood Boil:
- 2 ½ gallons (10 L) water
- Salt
- 2 medium lobsters, whole, live
- Seasoning Blend
- 2 small yellow onions, peeled and halved
- 8 cloves garlic, crushed
- 8 medium red potatoes, halved
- 4 ears of corn, husked and cut in half
- 4 extra-large Alaskan king crab legs, pre-cut into 2-inch (5 cm) segments
- 12 large shrimp (12-15 count), shell on, split back
- 2 links Cajun Andouille sausage (ready to eat), sliced on an angle into shorter pieces
To Serve:
- Butter (room temperature), for the veggies
- Lemons, halved, to garnish
- Parsley sprigs, to garnish
Method:
For the Seasoning Blend:
Combine mustard seeds, coriander, allspice, dill seeds, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, cloves, celery seeds, peppercorns, and dried oregano in a spice grinder and pulse to a fine powder.
Transfer to a bowl and mix in paprika, ground ginger, cayenne, and onion powder.
For the Seafood Boil:
In a large pot with a fitted strainer, bring the water to a rolling boil. Season with salt.
Blanch the lobster for two minutes in the boiling water, then immediately transfer to ice water to stop the cooking.
Add the Seasoning Blend, onion, and garlic. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, to infuse the boil.
In the strainer, add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes, then add the corn and cook for 5 minutes.
While the veggies are cooking, pre-crack the lobster shell (for easier meat removal at the table), then cut in half lengthwise, cleaning as needed. Add the prepared lobster to the boil and cook for 5 minutes.
Add crab, shrimp, and andouille sausage pieces and cook for 3 minutes, until the sausage and crab are warmed through, and the shrimp is just cooked through and brightly colored.
Remove strainer from the pot, drain well, then dump contents onto a large platter pre-lined with newspaper (for easier cleanup).
To Serve:
Garnish the platter with halved lemons and large sprigs of parsley.
Serve immediately for sharing (in the middle of the table) with butter on the side for the veggies and plenty of napkins or paper towels… maybe a bib… wet wipes…
