Seafood and steak grilled to perfection make a perfect summer pairing! Here, four crowd-pleasing dishes.

 

Photo courtesy Chef Lynn Crawford

1. Grilled PEI Lobster with Sweet Corn and Chipotle

Chipotle­‐Lemon Butter
1 stick (1⁄2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo
1 teaspoon lemon zest 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper

Directions. Stir together all ingredients. Set aside. Serves 4

Lobster and Sweet Corn
2 whole PEI lobsters (about 1 1⁄2 pounds each)
2 ears sweet corn, shucked and cut crosswise in half
2 lemons, cut crosswise in
half 1⁄2 cup reserved chipotle-­‐lemon butter

Directions. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-­‐high heat, add lobsters, cover, and cook until lobsters turn red and are almost cooked through, about 8 minutes, then immediately shock in ice water, pat dry and cut in half lengthwise. Set aside. Preheat barbecue to medium-­‐high, oil grid, and place lobsters flesh-­‐side-­‐down and grill for 3 minutes, turn over, slather with chipotle-­‐lemon butter and grill 3 minutes more. Transfer lobster to a platter and keep warm. To grill, add corn and lemon halves and grill until slightly charred, about 5 minutes, brushing corn with chipotle-­‐lemon butter several times during cooking time. Serve on platter with lobster.

 

Photo courtesy Chef Lynn Crawford

2. Dad’s Steak with Red Wine Butter & Portobello Mushrooms

My dad’s steak is famous. His secret? The marinade. It combines saltiness, sweetness, tanginess, and some heat, and it tastes phenomenal. I also use it to marinate the mushrooms, which act as fantastic sponges and, when served alongside the steak, really showcase the marinade’s wonderful flavors. The red wine butter is pure but delicious excess. It’s simple to prepare, and it looks and tastes exceptional. Double the recipe, because you’ll be looking for it long after the steaks have been eaten. Serves 4

Red Wine Butter
1 stick (1⁄2 cup/125 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) red wine
2 tbsp (30 mL) minced shallot
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper

Marinated PEI Steak and Mushrooms
4 PEI Sirloin steaks (about 6 oz/170 g each)
1 recipe My Dad’s Steak Marinade
4 large Portobello mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed Salt and pepper Directions For the red wine butter, cream butter with wine and shallots until smooth. Stir in parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside. For the steaks and mushrooms, lay steaks in a single layer in a shallow dish, spoon over half the marinade to cover both sides, and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place mushrooms in a bowl and toss with remaining marinade. Preheat barbecue to medium. Remove steaks from marinade (discarding marinade) and barbecue, turning occasionally, for 4 minutes per side for medium-­‐rare doneness. Transfer to a plate, tent with foil, and set aside. Remove mushrooms from marinade (discarding marinade) and barbecue, turning once or twice, until browned, about 5 minutes. Serve steak and mushrooms with a dollop of red wine butter on top.

My Dad’s Steak Marinade
Makes about 11⁄3 cups (325 mL)
Ingredients 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) soy sauce
1⁄3 cup (75 mL) olive oil
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp (30 mL) Dijon mustard
2 tbsp (30 mL) Worcestershire sauce
1 large clove garlic, grated

Directions. Stir all ingredients together. Pour into an airtight container, refrigerate, and use within 2 weeks.

Photo courtesy Chef Lynn Crawford

3. PEI Lobster Rolls

Lobster rolls are on roadside menus all throughout the Atlantic provinces in the summertime. Lightly buttered toasted rolls are deliciously overstuffed with sweet chunks of lobster tossed with capers and rémoulade sauce. Nothing wrong with that!

Ingredients
4 lobsters, cooked and shelled, chilled, and cut into bite-­‐ size pieces
1 cup (250 mL) mayonnaise
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) chopped celery leaves
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped dill
1 tbsp (15 mL) capers, chopped
Salt and pepper
4 top-­‐split hot dog rolls
1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter
1 head butter lettuce

Directions In a bowl, combine the lobster meat, mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery, celery leaves, dill, and capers. Fold together gently to mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Butter the hot dog rolls and place in the skillet. Toast until golden on each side. Transfer the rolls to a serving plate. Put some lettuce in each roll and divide the lobster mixture among the rolls. Serves 4.

4. Tipsy PEI Mussels with Smoky Bacon

Mussels cultured in the cool waters surrounding P.E.I. are sweet, tender, and plump. One of my favourite ways to eat mussels is to steam them in beer with lots of bacon. Adding a touch of cream and mustard makes an amazing, creamy, rich, smoky broth.

Ingredients
4 slices smoked bacon, cut into 1⁄2 -­‐inch (1 cm) pieces
1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter
2 stalks celery, diced
2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 sprigs thyme
1 bottle (12 oz/341 mL wheat beer
2 tbsp (30 mL) whole grain mustard
1⁄2 cup (125 mL) heavy cream
Salt and pepper
4 lb (2 kg) PEI mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1⁄4 cup (60 mL) chopped parsley

Directions. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the butter to the bacon fat. When it has melted, add the celery, leeks, garlic, and thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft. Turn the heat up and deglaze the pan with the beer. When the liquid is reduced by half, stir in the mustard, cream, and salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Add the mussels, stir once, and cover. Cook until the mussels just begin to open, about 5 minutes. Remove the lid, stir the mussels (discard any that haven’t opened), and garnish with the bacon and parsley. Serves 4.