Congratulations to newly crowned Maine Lobster Chef of the Year, MacKenzie Arrington! Here is his prizewinning recipe.

Lobster Tail on Braised Cabbage and Cornbread
MacKenzie Arrington, 2009 Maine Lobster Chef of the Year

Equipment Needed
·   1 large cast iron skillet
·   1 large sauce pot
·   Plastic Wrap
·   1 large sauté pan or a grill top
·   1 small sauté pan
·   2 medium metal bowl

Main Components
4 Maine Lobster Tails, Roasted
12 Braised Cabbage with Bacon
4 Cornbread, cut into rounds
8 ounces Herb Compound Butter
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Roasted Lobster Tails
4 Lobster tails, split
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper

Split each tail with scissors along the top of the shell. Remove intestinal tract. In a sauté pan melt butter and sweat shallots and garlic. Lightly brush lobster tail meat with melted butter mixture. Place the tails on a medium-high temp grill meat side up. Flip after 5 minutes. Flip again after 3 minutes and lightly reapply butter mixture. Cook for another couple minutes until done. Reserve for production.

Braised Cabbage
½ ounce unsalted butter
4 ounces bacon, small diced
1 cup onions, small diced
½ Tablespoon garlic, minced
½ Tablespoon shallots, minced
2 pounds cabbage, stems removed, roughly torn
2¼ ounces white wine
5½ ounces chicken stock
1 ham hock
Salt and pepper, to taste

Render bacon in butter until light golden brown in a wide sauce pot. Add onions and garlic, sweat until aromatic. Add cabbage and sweat until aromatic. Deglaze with wine, reduce by ½. Add chicken stock and ham hock, cover, bring to simmer and braise until tender, ~40 minutes. Remove cabbage and reserve. Reduce braising liquid to glace. Remove ham hock. Add cabbage back to braising liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve for production.

Cornbread
⅔ cup butter, unsalted, soft
1 cup sugar (half if too sweet)
3 eggs
3 ounces sweet corn
1 cup cornmeal
2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
4½ teaspoons baking soda (more if not fluffy)
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400°. Cream soft butter and sugar. Combine milk and eggs. Combine all dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with egg mixture. Pour into a greased cast iron skillet. Bake for 20 – 27 minutes or until toothpick tests is successful. Cut into rounds for production.

Compound Butter
8 each butter, unsalted
½ Tablespoon parsley, minced
½ Tablespoon tarragon, minced
¼ Tablespoon thyme, minced
¼ Tablespoon chervil, minced
¼ Tablespoon chives, minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt, to taste

Cream butter and herbs together until herbs are fully incorporated. Add lemon juice and salt to taste. Transfer butter and herb mixture to plastic wrap and shape into a 1 inch diameter log. Roll butter tightly and place into freezer until production.

Place cornbread round as a base in the center of the plate. Top with a layer of braised cabbage and bacon. Place the roasted lobster tail on the cabbage. Top with a ¼ slice of compound butter. Either serve or enjoy it yourself!

Serves 4.

MF&L Staff at Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine.