Southern Lobster Balls W/ Mango Banana Ketchup Sauce

Submitted by Stephanie Z.

"About.com's Home Cooking blog: "This ketchup is a sauce that combines the sweetness of mangoes and bananas with an exotic spiciness. Serve as a dipping sauce for fritters, shellfish, pork, chicken, sausage, ham, or appetizer meatballs. Cook this up in less than 30 minutes. It will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Lobster balls make a great party appetizer, but you can also serve this dish as an entree. They are loaded with lobster and chock full of flavor from savory vegetables, Parmesan cheese, and herbs.""

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 31
• Serves: 10

ingredients

• Mango Banana Ketchup Sauce

• 2 mangoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 very ripe banana, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup finely diced sweet onion
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄2 cup water

• Lobster Balls

• 1 cup coarse breadcrumbs or 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄3 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 8 ounces raw lobster meat, finely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 small sweet onion, finely chopped
• 3 eggs, well beaten
• canola oil (for frying)

directions

1. For the sauce:

2. Place the mangoes, bananas, sweet onions, tomato paste, garlic, salt, brown sugar, molasses, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a food processor and pulse until pureed.
3. Transfer puree to a saucepan.
4. Add ground chipotle pepper, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and water. Stir to combine.
5. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for 15 minutes.
6. Let cool to room temperature to serve.
7. Cover and refrigerate leftovers and use within two weeks.

8. For the lobster balls:

9. Whisk together bread crumbs, flour, baking powder, garlic powder, dill weed, lemon pepper, salt, and Parmesan cheese.
10. Stir in lobster, bell pepper, onion, and eggs until well-combined. Let rest for 15 minutes.
11. Heat 1/2-inch of oil in a heavy skillet to 375°F or preheat a deep-fryer. Roll lobster mixture into balls about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Deep-fry until golden brown.