Florida Spiny Bites

The main difference in types of lobsters can be seen by the claws or pinchers. The American or Maine Lobster has large front claws while the Florida Spiny Lobster does not. The clawed lobsters are often called cold water lobsters due to their normal habitat locations. The spiny, rock, or Florida lobster is generally considered a warm water lobster. The Florida Lobsters are most commonly caught for their tail meat, while the Maine lobster is known for it's claw and tail meat. Lobsters stay in their dens during daylight hours to avoid predators, emerging a couple of hours after dark to forage for food. While lobsters will eat almost anything, their favorite diet consists mostly of snails, clams, crabs, and urchins. The lobsters return to the safety of their dens several hours before sunrise.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 12 pastries

Ingredients

• 1  sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1⁄4 cup mayonnaise
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1⁄2  lemon, juice of
•  salt and pepper, to taste
• 1⁄2 teaspoon tarragon, finely chopped
• 1  stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1  shallot, finely chopped
• 1  green onion, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 lb lobster meat, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut the pastry sheet into 12 (2-inch) circles with a cutter. Place pastry circles onto a baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Split each pastry into 2 layers, making 24 in all.
3. Combine mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper, celery, shallot and green onion in a bowl and mix. Add lobster to mayonnaise sauce and combine.
4. Spread the lobster mixture on 12 bottom pastry layers.