Lobster Stuffed with Crabmeat

Split lobster broiled golden and topped with a rich, creamy crabmeat stuffing. This is the centerpiece dish at every old-school New England seafood house, and making it at home is more straightforward than it looks.

The lobsters get split, basted with melted butter and paprika, and broiled until lightly browned. The crabmeat stuffing is a bechamel-based filling: butter and flour cooked into a roux, milk stirred in until thick, then loaded with crab, diced green pepper, pimentos, Worcestershire, parsley, and beaten egg yolks. It goes on top of the broiled lobster like frosting on a cake, then gets a quick final browning under the broiler.

Serve with lemon wedges, fresh parsley, watercress, and plenty of melted butter on the side.

Chef Tips

• Use live lobsters. This is stated in the recipe for a reason. Previously frozen lobsters don’t hold up the same way under the broiler.
• Crack the claws before broiling so trapped water can escape. Otherwise they can pop and splash hot liquid.
• The crabmeat stuffing should be warm but not boiling when you spread it on. Boiling breaks down the delicate crab.
• Watch the final browning closely. Two to three minutes under the broiler is all it takes. Walk away and the stuffing burns.

Variations

• Add a splash of dry sherry to the crabmeat stuffing for extra depth.
• Top the stuffing with buttered breadcrumbs before the final broil for a crunchier finish.
• Use shrimp in the stuffing instead of crab for a different shellfish pairing.