Tour of Fifty States: Connecticut's Meal

This weekend we did Connecticut's meal.  I purchased seven lobster tails, thinking that with six of us, a seventh would give just a little more meat to fill the lobster rolls.  Little did I know, but lobster tails are tiny!!! When I took them from the shells, cut them and sauteed them, there was very little meat to go around.  Bill and I opted to give the kids the lobster and we went with some leftover pizza and he quickly threw together an olive oil and parmesan-tossed pasta while I added a salad.  Things happen! 

Menu: Lobster Rolls, Nutmeg Cake with Apple Butter filling and Caramel Icing

Outcome:  The lobster rolls were a hit!  The kids liked these better than the cold ones.  I LOVED the cake.  :)

Next up:  Brandi selected Kansas!

Lobster Roll

The traditional Lobster Roll in Connecticut differs from the one popular in Maine, as this version is served with hot lobster meat and uses only butter and lemon to dress it. 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb. freshly-picked lobster meat (tail and claw) 
• 6 top-split hot dog rolls 
• Salted Butter, melted 
• Fresh Lemon

Directions:

1.      Take lobster meat and warm (sauté in a pan.)

2.      Take a roll, cut out the center, and toast on a grill.

3.      When completely toasted, take the hot lobster meat and spread on top of the cut roll.

4.      Ladle melted butter over the meat.

5.      Squeeze fresh lemon juice over roll.

Serves 4. 

Nutmeg Cake with Apple Butter filling and Caramel Icing

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 ½ tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
• 1 ½ c sugar
• ½ c (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2/3 cup apple butter
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Caramel Icing

•  ½ c brown sugar
• ¼ c half & half (more as needed)
• ¼ c butter
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 ¾ c powdered sugar

Directions

1.      Preheat the oven to 350 º.

2.      In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Use fresh nutmeg if you can. Stir those together and set aside. 

3.      In a mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and room temperature butter until they are fluffy. Add the room temperature eggs, one at a time, completely mixing each in before adding the next. Then mix in the vanilla.

4.      Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined. Mix in half of the buttermilk. Once the buttermilk is combined, repeat the process with the next 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining buttermilk, and then the remaining flour mixture. Make certain to scrape the bowl with a spatula to get everything combined.

5.      Pour the batter into 2 9 inch round cake pans that have been greased or sprayed. Spread them evenly and bake for about 25 minutes or until they test done with a toothpick. Allow them to cool about 10 minutes in the pans, and then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

6.      Once the layers are cooled, make the icing: In a saucepan, combine half & half, brown sugar, and butter. Melt these over medium heat, stirring continually. Bring it to a gentle boil and let it bubble away for about 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. The mixture will bubble up a little. Stir it smooth and turn off the heat. Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes. Whisk in the powdered sugar, about a third at a time, until it is all combine and smooth. This will make the icing very thick. If needed, add in an additional Tbsp. or two of half & half, until it is the consistency you like.

7.      Place one of the cake layers on a serving dish or cake platter. Spread 2/3 cup of apple butter all over the top.

8.      Place the second layer on top, and pour the icing all over the top of the cake.

9.      Use an offset spatula to spread the icing evenly over the top and down the sides of the cake.

10.  Chop up about 1/3 cup of pecans, and toss them in a dry skillet. Heat them over medium heat, stirring continually until they are fragrant and their color deepens. Remove them from the skillet and let them cool in a dish. Then sprinkle them over the top of the cake.