Surf and Turf Burger with Florida Lobster, Grilled Mango Sauce and Key Lime Flavored Red Onion-Cucumber Relish

Pairs well with:

White Zinfandel

With strawberry and melon essences, this American original is perfectly at home with however you like to unwind.

This is the best local Burger because it is unique. It incorporates Florida’s sweet and succulent lobster with best tasting Florida citrus and fruit flavors along with local favorite seasonings.

Ingredients:

Surf:

3 Florida Lobster Tails, 6-8 ounces each, fresh or thawed, if frozen
6 presoaked, 12 inch long Bamboo skewers
4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

Turf: Patties:

3 Scotch Bonnet Hot Peppers, seeds removed and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Thyme Leaves
2 pounds of fresh ground chuck
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped fully cooked Hickory Smoked Bacon (Jimmy Dean or equivalent)
1/3 cup crushed Plantain Chips

Grilled Mango Sauce:

2 semi-ripe Mangoes
Oil spray
1 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Relish:

2 cups of thinly sliced red onions
1cup matchsticks of English Cucumber
2 tablespoon of fresh Key Lime juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1/2 cup olive oil for brushing on the grill racks and buns

3 Deli style 12 inch Sub Rolls, cut in half and split, Cut side brushed with olive oil.
6 lettuce leaves, large enough to cover the cut rolls

Instructions:

Remove Lobster tails from their shells using sharp cutting shears. Slice with a sharp knife, lengthwise, each tail into two pieces. Remove reddish skin on the tails using the sharp knife. Thread the skewers through the lobster pieces and place them in a shallow dish. Combine butter, lemon juice and Old Bay seasoning in a small bowl. Brush, liberally the lobster pieces with butter mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Combine Scotch Bonnet and thyme in a food processor with a chopping blade. Pulse the food processor few times till they are coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add ground chuck, salt, bacon and plantain chips. Using large forks, mix all the ingredients. Divide the mixture into six equal parts and shape each of them to 5 inches by 3 inches rectangle. Transfer them to a shallow dish and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate or place in an icebox.

Preheat the grill to medium heat.

With a sharp knife, slice the sides of the mangoes as close to the seed as possible. Discard the seeds. Spray the cut sides of the mango slices with oil. Place the slices over the grill, cut side facing down. Grill, covered for 4-5 minutes till they begin to soften. Remove from the grill and let cool for few minutes. Scoop out the grilled mango pulp and transfer to a food processor. Add Jalapeno, Cilantro and salt. Process for few minutes with a metal blade, till well bended. This will result in about a cup and a half of the grilled mango sauce. Transfer to a bowl.

To make relish, combine onions, cucumber, Key limejuice, salt and cayenne pepper in a medium glass bowl. Mix well, Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Brush oil on the racks of the grill. Place the lobster skewers on the grill and cover. Cook for few minutes and keep rotating frequently and brush with remaining butter mixture. The lobster will be cooked when it turns to whitish in color. Remove lobster pieces from the skewers and place them in a plate and cover it with aluminum foil to keep them warm.

Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once until done to preference, 3-5 minutes on each side for medium. Place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the grill rack to toast lightly during the last few minutes of grilling.

To assemble burgers, place lettuce leaves on toasted side of each of the bottom rolls. Spread enough relish to cover the lettuce. Then place the patty over the relish, followed by a grilled lobster piece, lengthwise. Spoon few tablespoons of Mango sauce over the lobster and the patty. Place the top buns with toasted side down and serve.