Fluffy, crisp fritters filled with real lobster meat, salty bits of bacon and kernels of corn. Served with a Jalapeno-Honey Aioli, these fritters are fantastic!!
2Lobster Tails(about 1 pound total; meat should yield 1 ½ cups)
Melted Butter*
Sea Salt, to taste
Fritters:
3slicesthick cut Bacon– cooked and crumbled* (should yield about ½ cup)
2largeGreen Onions– white & green parts, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
2EarsCorn– kernels cut off cob (about 1 1/3 cup)
¾CupAll Purpose Flour
¼CupCornmeal
½tspBaking Powder
½tspBaking Soda
¾tspChili Powder
¾CupButtermilk
1LargeEgg– separated
1TBSUnsalted Butter– melted
1/8tspCream of Tartar
½tspKosher Salt
¼tspGround Black Pepper
Peanut Oil- for frying (can substitute vegetable oil)
Sea Salt, for seasoning after frying
Aioli:(Yield- ¾ Cup)
½smallJalapeno– seeded, ribbed and roughly chopped
1largeGreen Onion– roughly chopped
1CloveGarlic– smashed and peeled
½CupMayonnaise
1TBSDijon Mustard
1tspLemon Juice
1TBSHoney
1/8tspSalt, or more to taste
Serving:
Lemon Wedges
Instructions
Cook Lobster –
Either- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Piggy back the lobster meat on top of the tail ***link on how to**, brush with melted butter and season with sea salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on size of tail, or until shell is bright red and lobster is cooked through (to140-145 degrees F).
Or - Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon sea salt. Add lobster tails to water and cook until shell is bright red and meat is cooked through (to 140-145 degrees F), about 6 minutes.
Remove tails to a clean work surface and allow to cool. Use kitchen shears to cut down the back of the shell, remove lobster meat and roughly chop. Transfer to a bowl or container, cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
Make the Aioli: Add jalapeno, scallions and garlic to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Transfer to a small container, cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
For the Corn Fritters: In a large bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, chili powder and ½ tsp salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the egg yolk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk mixture to well. Stir together gently. Fold in the lobster, corn, bacon, green onions and melted butter.
In a small bowl add the egg whites and a pinch of cream of tartar. Whisk until soft peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into the fritter batter.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
Add enough oil to a large saucepan to come 1 ½’’-2’’ up the sides. Heat oil to 325 degrees F over medium to medium-high heat. Carefully drop 4-5 heaping tablespoon-size blobs of batter into the oil. Fry, turning once, until batter is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove fritters and transfer them to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Season immediately with salt. Once drained, transfer fritters to sheet pan and place in oven to keep warm. Continue frying, draining and transferring fritters to oven until all batter is used.
Serve fritters immediately with aioli and lemon wedges.
Notes
*To Cook Bacon: Place a wire rack insert into a large rimmed sheet pan. Lay slices of bacon on wire rack, being sure to not overlap. Transfer bacon to the oven and turn oven to 400 degrees F. Bake bacon until crispy, brown and cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. *Yields: approximately 16 fritters