Eduardo Garcia's Grilled Lobster Aguachile

Grilled Lobster Aguachile

byEduardo Garcia

Total 1 hour and 15 minutes

Active 75 mins

Makes 8 tostadas

Special Equipment

a tortilla press

Special Equipment

a tortilla press

Ingredients

For the Marinade and Lobster

1 tablespoon achiote paste
6 cloves garlic, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Three 8-ounce spiny lobster tails
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Aguachile

1/2 white onion, chopped
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
1 poblano pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces, seeds removed
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup water, or as needed
1 recipe Tostada Shells (recipe follows)
Sliced cucumber and pickled red onions, to serve

Tostada Shells

8 fresh Corn Tortillas (recipe follows)
Corn oil, for frying
Sea salt

Corn Tortillas

2 cups white masa harina, such as Masienda
1 1/2 to 2 cups very warm water
Avocado oil, as needed

Directions

For the marinade and lobster: In a mortar and pestle or a small food processor, purée the achiote, garlic, lime juice, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, split the tails in half lengthwise. Brush the lobster with the marinade. Allow the lobster tails to marinate for 30 minutes.
Prepare a grill or grill pan for medium heat. Drizzle the lobster tails with the oil and grill, meat-side down, until deep golden grill marks form, about 6 minutes. Flip the tails and cook until just cooked through, another 5 to 10 minutes. Bubbles should start to form around the tail meat.
Meanwhile, for the aguachile: In a blender, combine the onion, cilantro, poblano, lime juice, and salt. Blend until finely chopped and bright green. Add water until you have a loose sauce. Purée until smooth.
Remove the lobster from the shell and cut the meat into 1/2-inch pieces. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of the aguachile and toss to coat. Serve the aguachile with the tostada shells, extra sauce, and cucumber and pickled onion.

Tostada Shells

Line a plate with a paper towel. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to the pan to come up about 1 inch. Heat the oil until the edge of a tortilla sizzles immediately when dipped in the oil. Once hot, slide a tortilla into the oil and fry until golden-brown and crispy, about 1 minute per side. Use tongs to transfer the crispy tortilla to the paper-towel-lined plate and season with a pinch of salt. Continue with the remaining tortillas, adjusting the heat as needed.

Corn Tortillas

Place the masa harina in a medium bowl. Slowly add the water while mixing with your hands until it is a moldable consistency. It should form a ball but not be sticky. Once the dough has come together, shape it into balls about the size of Ping-Pong balls. Place each ball into a tortilla press and press until flat.
Heat a griddle over medium heat. Brush the hot pan with some oil to coat the pan if needed. Place a tortilla on the griddle and cook until it begins to puff and has a few lightly browned spots, about 1 minute. Flip the tortilla and cook on the other side until lightly browned and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.