Sweet and Sour Lobster Tempura

Sweet and Sour Lobster Tempura

By: Linda Bonwill - World Class Cooking

OCEAN'S CROWN JEWEL

"Indulge in the dance of sweet and sour with this tantalizing Sweet & Sour Lobster Tempura, Where crispy meets crave-worthy in every bite!"

These provoking flavors will leave you longing for more. The heart of this dish is the signature sauce, where the sweetness of pineapple and ketchup meets the tang of vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. But the true star, a surprising twist of Door County Black and Tan coffee, infusing richness and depth into every bite. As the golden lobster tempura sizzles, the sauce is added with fragrant garlic oil, roasted peppers, scallions, and sweet pineapple juice, creating textures and tastes that are simply irresistible.

Dive in and experience this upscale dining experience soon, one bite at a time.

This is a Door County Coffee Fan recipe. It was not made in the kitchens of the Door County Coffee Café.

Sauce Ingredients

Featured ingredient: Black and Tan Coffee 8oz ground

  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks, reserve juice
  • 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brewed Black and Tan coffee
  • 2 TBSP corn starch
  • 2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
  • olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup roasted peppers, diced
  • 1/3 cup scallions, diced
  • pineapple

Sauce Instructions

  1. In a medium-sized bowl, stir the ketchup, pineapple juice (reserve the pineapple chunks), vinegar, sugar, and coffee.
  2. In a small bowl add the cornstarch and Worcestershire to make a slurry. Stir into the sauce ingredients. Put the bowl aside.
  3. Heat the oil in a large skillet at medium/high heat. Stir in the garlic, peppers, and scallions. Sauté for 3 minutes.
  4. Stir in the pineapple chunks and sauce. Turn down the temperature and simmer until thickened.
  5. Turn off the burner and cover.

Tempura Ingredients

  • 8 lobster tails (or jumbo Shrimp), shells removed
  • 3/4 cup flour (gf)
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/8 tsp baking soda
  • 1 TBSP sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup sparkling water
  • 1/4 cup brewed coffee
  • peanut oil for frying

Note: This recipe makes enough batter for 8 lobster tails

Tempura Instructions

  1. Fill a medium-sized saucepan with oil, approx. 1/3 from the bottom. Heat the oil until 350 degrees
  2. Rinse the lobster tails in water to remove loose shell pieces. Pat the lobster tails with a paper towel to dry.
  3. Mix the flour, tapioca flour, cornstarch, baking soda, sugar, salt, paprika, egg yolk, and sparkling water in a bowl. Whisk until the mixture forms a batter. Note: The batter should be thick enough to stick to the lobster meat. If it is too thick, add a small amount of brewed coffee to adjust the batter. If it is too thin, you can add additional flour.
  4. Dip the tails into the batter, coating them on all sides. Drop them into the hot oil and fry until crispy brown (approx. 4 mins). Be careful the lobster tails do not stick together while frying. Remove them and add them to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.  Fry in small batches to prevent cooling oil.
  5. Heat your sauce for a few mins. Toss the lobster tempura into the sauce. Serve with rice and your favorite vegetable