Try this tasty lobster tail in your home kitchen

Phil Lempert TODAY Food Editor • Profile • E-mail

In this special weekly feature, “Today” food editor Phil Lempert brings you recipes “stolen” (with permission) from notable restaurants across America. See how much fun you can have (and money you can save) by cooking these dishes at home.

THIS WEEK: Pecorino Florida Lobster Tail with Truffle au Gratin and Key Lime Beurre Blanc Sauce from A Fish Called Avalon Seafood Grill in Miami, Florida

Lobster used to be considered a poor man's food and was even used for fish bait. But alas, those days are no longer here. Preparing lobster at home though, rather than ordering it in a restaurant, can save you a small fortune. Here's a "great catch" that we "stole" from Chef Joe Monteiro at A Fish Called Avalon that'll satisfy your lobster craving: Pecorino Florida Lobster Tail with Truffle au Gratin and Key Lime Beurre Blanc Sauce.

Fresh lobster is best, but if you can only get your hands on frozen lobster tail, listen up because here's what you'll need to do to prepare for this scrumptious recipe: Thaw lobster in the fridge for about 10 or 12 hours. Thawing first makes the meat much more tender and succulent. You could do it in the microwave if you must, but be very careful not to start cooking the lobster! And to top off the lobster, Chef Monteiro also includes pecorino, a hard Italian cheese made from sheep's milk, the earthy flavor of truffle oil, and the beautiful tang of Key Lime.

Joe Monteiro

About the chef: Joe Monteiro, executive chef and general manager of A Fish Called Avalon, started cooking in his mother's kitchen. “She used to make me stir the red sauce, then whack me with the wooden spoon,” he jokes. The Brazilian-born Portuguese chef, now in his mid-30s, knew he was destined for a culinary career after his first job in the United States as a pantry cook at the Allendale Bar & Grill in Allendale, New Jersey. There he learned kitchen basics and became familiar with American cuisine.

Six years later he left to work as sous chef at Nava where he learned Southwestern cuisine. In July 1996, he moved on to become chef de cuisine at Café Pacific in Dallas where he learned Pacific Rim cuisine. The experience prepared him to work at the Melrose Hotel where he was able to exercise his culinary creativity, blending what he learned about Southwestern style at Nava with Melrose’s Asian flavors. When the time came to move on, he did it in the biggest way possible: Monteiro became executive chef at the New York Giants Stadium in 1998. At any given event, he was responsible for feeding athletes and about 3,000 attendees at the Giants Stadium, the Arena and the Meadowlands Racetrack.

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Monteiro then moved on to work in sunny Miami as executive chef at Lombardi’s Restaurant in 1999 where he prepared northern Italian seafood. Three years later, he headed to A Fish Called Avalon in the Deco District’s Avalon Hotel. “I saw the challenge there and that’s what drives me. I love to be challenged. I did a whole remodel of the kitchen, changed the whole menu, updated the wine list, and built a wine cellar. We won the Wine Spectator Award in 2005 and 2006. We just got awarded ‘Best Seafood’ again,” Monteiro says, proudly. Night after night, Chef Monteiro walks around, checking on each table. For a chef who never had formal training, his career story has played out like a fairy tale. “Everything I know I learned in the business," says Monteiro. "My advice? Try to learn as much as you can. People seem to think it’s easy to run a restaurant. It’s a hard industry. Just put your head down and work.”

A Fish Called Avalon Seafood Grille
700 Ocean Drive
Miami, Florida 33139
305-532-1727
www.afishcalledavalon.com

Pecorino Florida Lobster Tail with Truffle au Gratin and Key Lime Beurre Blanc Sauce is served at A Fish Called Avalon Seafood Grille for $48.95. This recipe is for a serving size of two.

Want to nominate your favorite restaurant dish for a "Steal This Recipe" feature? Just e-mail Phil at Phil.Lempert@nbc.com (or use the mail box below) with the name of the restaurant, city and state, and the dish you would like to have re-created. Want to know more about Phil and food? Visit his Web site at www.supermarketguru.com.

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