Idaho Yellow Finn and Lobster Quesadillas with Hot Smoked Paprika and Manchego
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 Medium Yellow Finn or Yukon Gold Idaho® potatoes
- 1 7 oz. Maine Lobster Tail
- 3 oz. Manchego, shredded
- 2 tablespoons hot smoked paprika
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 large flour tortillas
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1/4 cup peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chiffonade
- 1 tablespoon clarified butter
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 meyer lemon cut into wedges
Directions:
- Boil whole, unpeeled Idaho® potatoes in salted water until a knife can go through with a little give (almost cooked through). Make sure not to overcook potatoes.
- Cool until potatoes can be handled and then slice them into 1/8 inch rounds, try to keep potato slices intact.
- Season potatoes with salt and pepper and shallow fry them over medium/high heat in the peanut oil (in multiple batches is necessary). Fry for 2-3 minutes until first side is golden brown. Flip and fry for 2 more minutes until the other side is brown.
- Toss fried potato slices in a bowl with 5 teaspoons, coriander, 2 cloves minced garlic, parsley, and salt (about 1 teaspoon).
- Place seasoned potatoes on a paper towel lined sheet tray until ready to assemble quesadillas.
- Using a sharp pair of kitchen shears, cut down the length of the top of the lobster shell. Using your index finger, free the meat from the shell to get the whole lobster tail out.
- Holding lobster right side up, slice down the top of the tail and remove the vein.
- Poach lobster tail in water with lemon or in butter at 160-190°F for 4 minutes or until cooked through.
- Allow lobster tail to cool and slice into 1/8 inch slices.
- Reduce cream by half with 1 clove minced garlic and ½ teaspoon paprika, and set aside.
- Heat half of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium/high heat. Add one of the tortillas and smear 1 tablespoon of the reduced cream all over one side of tortilla.
- Spread half of the cheese over the tortilla; add 5 slices of potatoes and half of the sliced lobster to half of the tortilla.
- Fold the tortilla in half and sprinkle the remaining paprika on both sides and continue to cook quesadilla until both sides are brown and cheese is melted.
- Repeat steps 11-13 to make second quesadilla.
- Cut each quesadilla into thirds and garnish with lemon wedges.