One of the most noble ingredients from Nova Scotia will meet with a famous recipe from Turkey: Nova Scotia lobster and börek. Börek is a filled savoury pastry which is moist inside and crispy outside. It’s made with thin flaky layers of dough and filled with different meat and veggie combinations. The most common fillings in Turkey are minced meat, cheese, spinach or potatoes. Today we’ll make an uncommon filling and use lobster to complement our dish.

Börek with Lobster

Ingredients

• Frozen phyllo dough (1 package)
• 350 grams boiled lobster & cleaned meat
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• ½ bunch of spring onions

For egg wash:

• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup sunflower oil
• 2 tablespoons yogurt
• Salt & pepper
• 2 eggs (keep 1 yolk to top)
• Sesame & poppy seeds for top

For the sauce:

• 1 cup juice of boiled lobster
• ½ cup cream
• ½ cup white wine
• Salt & pepper

For the side salad:

• Cucumber
• Sweet corn
• Dill

Directions

1. Prepare the filling with boiled lobster meat, some spring onions and grated mozzarella, and season it with salt and black pepper.
2. Prepare a kind of “egg wash” by mixing vigorously yogurt, milk, sunflower oil and eggs, and season it with salt and black pepper.
3. After preparing the egg wash and the filling, it comes to fill the dough and shape them. Easiest is the triangle shape. Cut your phyllo dough to long rectangles, put the filling on the top, and fold it a couple of times in the opposite directions until all the dough is covered. Use some cold water to stick the last piece of phyllo with some water to stick and close. Do not forget to use the egg wash in every layer of dough, apply it with a pastry brush. It should be wet, but not soaked.
4. Fill and shape all the börek. Once it’s done, whisk the egg yolk with a spoon of water and use it to apply on top of each börek. Sprinkle some sesame and poppy seeds on top. Now they are ready for the oven.
5. Bake 20 – 30 min, until they are browned on top, but look super puffed and flaky. This will be the moment of truth. Because if you fill your börek too much, you might have some of them explode. It’s a good idea to not be so generous with the filling to avoid this.
6. While waiting for the oven, make a quick sauce by reducing lobster juice, add the wine and evaporate the alcohol and finally add the cream and season with salt and pepper. Prepare a small side salad with cucumber, sweet corn and dill, season with some olive oil and lemon to add freshness.
7. Out of the oven. Be careful they are super hot, just wait a couple of minutes to cool down. Serve it with a nice plate decoration and pair it with a glass of wine of your choice.

Wine pairing: Riesling

For wine pairing, I chose a Riesling from Alsace. It’s from Domaine Amélie & Charles Sparr, a Grand Cru 2017. It pours to the glass with its light but bright gold color, smells impressively complex with flowers of honeysuckle and jasmine, and lots of stone fruits and lemon. It also has a touch of characteristic petrol note, but it’s all integrated with the other aromas. It’s dry with a good balance, has medium acidity and body, nice and long finish with honeysuckle and pear flavors dominating the palate. Enjoyable and impressive in each sip. It elevated this dish with its complexity.

Cheers,

Nesli

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Categories: Wine & Food, WinesTags: borek recipe, fusion cuisine, nova scotia lobster, wine pairing for lobster