Lobster Tails with Clarified Butter by Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

4 (each 1/2 to 3/4-pound) lobster tails, thawed if frozen
1/4 cup Clarified Lemon Butter, plus 1 cup, recipe follows
Special Equipment: 4 metal skewers or 4 wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes

Directions

Light the coals in a fire pit 1 hour before cooking or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut through the top shell lengthwise. Cut a slit through the meat lengthwise taking care not to cut through the bottom shell. Gently pull the shells apart. Thread a skewer, starting at the underside base of the tail, along the inside of the bottom shell. Brush the meat with 1/4 cup of the clarified butter. Wrap the lobster tails in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the lobster meat is opaque.

Place the remaining clarified butter in a butter warmer or dipping bowl. Remove the meat from the lobster shells and dip in the Clarified Butter.

Clarified Lemon Butter:
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 lemons, zested
In a small, heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat. Pour the mixture into a 2-cup glass measuring jug. Let the melted butter stand for 5 minutes. Using a spoon, remove the foam from the top of the butter. Place the lemon zest in small bowl. Pour the clarified butter over the lemon zest and discard the milk solids left in the bottom of the jug.

Yield: 1 1/4 cups