Lobster Newburg Dip Appetizer

Labor Day is here and while you're showing your friends how great of a cook you really are, don't forget to give them a few appetizers until the real dish is done.

Here's an awesome appetizer that will leave them wanting more.  They may even recommend you start your own restaurant or cooking show.

Ingredients

• 1 Loaf French Baguette
• 1 can Cream of shrimp soup
• 1/4 cup Finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 2 tbsp Butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 Garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/8 tsp Ground cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp Finely chopped shallot
• 8 oz Cream cheese, softened
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 (3-4 oz) Uncooked lobster tails in shells
• 1/4 cup Sherry

Directions

Prepare Bread Cubes and Dip

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees farenheit. Slice baguette into 1/2-inch-thick slices; cut slices into quarters.
2. Combine bread, parsley, and butter in a mixing bowl, then lay out on a sheet pan.
3. Bake bread on the sheet pan for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Slice garlic into thin slices. Cook garlic, shallot, and oil in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until shallot is tender.
5. Add sherry; bring to simmer.
6. Whisk in soup, milk, salt, and cayenne.
7. Add cream cheese; whisk well and remove from heat.

Steam Lobster and Garnish

1. Place a steaming colandar (looks like a strainer that attaches to a pot) into a saucepan; add 3 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.
2. Place lobsters in steaming colandar; cover and steam 6-8 minutes.
3. Remove meat from cooked lobster tails; coarsely chop and reserve 1/4 cup.
4. Add remaining lobster meat to dip.
5. Pour dip into a small baking dish and bake 6-8 minutes or until hot.
6. Garnish with reserved lobster meat and additional parsley and cayenne if desired.
7. Serve with the bread.

This recipe makes about 24 servings (2 1/2 cups dip).

Tip From The Chef

Steaming is a quick and easy way to prepare lobster tails.  To remove lobster meat from the shell, cut down center of top and bottom of shell with kitchen shears.

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