Almond Plum Barbecue Lobster Skewer and Lobster Corn Miso Soup

A creative summer miso soup recipe that is tasty!
 
     I stated that I would post some fancy summer holiday food this week.  This miso soup recipe is made with non traditional lobster dashi broth.
     This recipe is my own creation that was inspired by thinking of what would be the very last BBQ style food that any chef would think of making on the 4th of July.  An almond plum BBQ lobster skewer on a section of corn on the cob in a lobster and corn miso soup has probably never been cooked before.  Part of the inspiration for this recipe was the traditional lobster pots full of steamed whole lobster, potatoes and corn that are cooked at seaside parties along the northeast American coast.  Lobster pot parties are like clam bakes at the beach.  It is old fashioned fun and lots of simple food!
     Most standard chefs only dress up a bottle of pre-manufactured BBQ sauce, when offering BBQ as a special du jour for a summer holiday.  Not me!  I make my own BBQ sauces and they tend to be more tasty.  I made an almond plum BBQ sauce for chicken at a restaurant way back before the fusion food trend started.  It was at a fancy French cafe and the customers liked the combination.  Almond plum BBQ sauce is nice for lobster too.

      This recipe makes 1 serving!
 
     Lobster Preparation:
     Split a 5 ounce lobster tail lengthwise.
     Remove the meat meat fom the shell.  (Reserve the lobster tail shell for the dashi broth later in this recipe.)
     Cut the lobster meat into 1/2" cube shaped pieces.
     Spear the lobster chunks on a 5 to 6 inch long bamboo skewer.
     Sprinkle the lobster skewer with a pinch of sea salt and set it aside.
 
     Almond Plum Barbecue Sauce:
     Place 1 teaspoon of minced ginger in a small sauce pot.
     Add 1 clove of minced garlic.
     Add 1 minced ripe black plum. 
     Add 2 tablespoons of sugar.
     Add 1 pinch of sea salt.
     Add 1 teaspoon of Korean Red Serrano Chile Paste.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of finely chopped toasted almond.
     Add 1 small pinch of five spice powder.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of rice vinegar.
     Add 1 pinch of white pepper.
     Add 4 drops of sesame oil.
     Add 1/2 cup of Japanese plum wine.
     Place the sauce pot over low heat.
     Gently simmer and reduce the sauce, till a thin barbecue glaze sauce is formed.
     Set the almond plum BBQ sauce aside.

      Lobster Corn Dashi Broth Recipe:
     This dashi broth will not be strained.  Be sure that the lobster tail shell is whole and intact with no small loose pieces, so the shell can easily be removed.
     Place 2 1/2 cups of water in a sauce pot.
     Add the reserved lobster tail shell.
     Add a 2" long section of corn on the cob.
     Note:  The corn on the cob will be used as a pedestal to set the lobster skewer upon, later in the recipe.  The corn on the cob piece has to be cut so it will be taller than the miso soup in the serving bowl.
     Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of chopped reconstituted dried wakame seaweed.
     Add 1 tablespoon of fresh corn kernels.
     Bring the broth to a boil over medium high heat.
     Boil the broth for 12 minutes.
     Reduce the temperature to low heat.
     Remove the lobster tail shell and discard it.
 
     Almond Plum Barbecue Lobster Skewer Recipe:
     Place the lobster skewer on a broiler pan.
     Spoon some of the almond plum barbecue sauce over the lobster skewer.
     Place the skewer under a broiler.  (The lobster cooks very quickly!)
     Flip the lobster skewer over and spoon more of the almond plum barbecue sauce over the lobster.
     Broil the lobster skewer, till the meat is fully cooked and the almond plum barbecue sauce is lightly glazed on the lobster meat.
     Note:  Browning or caramelizing the BBQ sauce and lobster will result in tough chewy flavorless lobster meat.  This skewer should be lightly broiled, so the juice in the lobster meat is retained.
     Remove the almond plum BBQ lobster skewer from the broiler and keep it warm on a stove top.    
 
     Lobster Corn Miso Soup Recipe:
     Add 3 drops of sesame oil to the warm dashi broth.
     Add 1/2 of a minced garlic clove.
     Add 1/2 teaspoon of ginger paste.
     Add 1/4 teaspoon of thin soy sauce.
     Remove the corn on the cob section from the dashi broth and keep it warm on a stove top.
     Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of red miso paste, while stirring.
     Stir till the miso paste becomes part of the broth.
     Add sea salt and white pepper.
 
     Almond Plum Barbecue Lobster Skewer and Lobster Corn Miso Soup:
     Set the piece of corn on the cob upright on the center of the soup bowl.
     Pour the miso soup around the corn on the cob in the bowl.
     Sprinkle a little bit of very thin sliced green onion on the miso soup.
     Balance the almond plum barbecue lobster skewer on top of the upright corn on the cob.
 
     You can fancy up the presentation with some micro sprouts if you wish to.  The almond plum barbecue sauce is tangy, plum fruity and nutty.  The barbecue sauce has a very intriguing flavor!
     It is fun eating a BBQ lobster skewer, sipping on miso soup and eating the corn on the cob with a combination of spoon, chopsticks and fingers!  Japanese style almond plum BBQ lobster skewer miso soup is a fun summer recipe!  Yum!  ...  Shawna