Up-Ending Tradition

One of the country’s most imaginative cooks is Carolyn Buster, chef and co-partner of the Cottage Restaurant in Calumet City, Ill. Take these Christmas recipes she developed to be served with a traditional standing rib roast and Yorkshire pudding.

Rather than sticking to the expected, she starts her meal with a sophisticated version of fish-and-chips: Lobster, briefly boiled and removed from its shell, is finished off in the oven at serving time, then surrounded by fried spinach--the “chips.” Instead of catsup, Buster serves lemon cream on the side.

Before the rib roast and Yorkshire pudding, Buster serves the Cottage Wreath Salad, which looks a lot like, well, a wreath. Julienned mixed greens dotted with cranberry halves make up the main portion of the garland; in the center is a “candle” made of hearts-of-palm with a strawberry “flame.” Despite its complicated look, the salad is easily prepared in advance.

Buster’s Christmas Green Bean Salad With Pomegranate Seeds is bright-looking and perfect for a buffet since it’s easy to make, easy to serve and easy to eat. Both salads have a nice, sweet-sour balance that makes them adaptable to many other menus.

Carolyn’s Caramelized Pears Flambe bring the meal to a flaming and luscious conclusion. Aside from the final reheating and flaming, the dessert can be prepared two days before serving.

At her restaurant, it’s Buster’s plum pudding that makes the meal. But this is a dish that needs a month of refrigeration. It’s too late to start the pudding for this Christmas, but if you want the recipe, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Buster, The Cottage, 525 Torrence Ave., Calumet City, Ill. 60409.

Lobster is a food that always impresses, but it’s also one of the easiest to prepare. This is one of the most interesting ways to serve it. Southland Chinese markets are the best places to find live lobsters. For this recipe, you should figure on one lobster per person.

CHRISTMAS “FISH AND CHIPS”

8 (1- to 1 1/4-pound) live lobsters, or 1 live lobster per person

Oil

1 cup butter, melted

Lemon Cream Sauce

Fried Spinach Leaves

Salmon caviar for garnish, optional

Plunge live lobsters into lightly salted boiling water and leave 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and immediately place in ice-water bath to chill down and stop cooking.

Using sharp scissors, carefully remove claw and tail meat, being careful to keep pieces whole. Remove and clean body shell, 3 legs from each side of body, and tail flippers. Return shell pieces to boiling water and cook until bright red. Remove and brush shells with oil.

Arrange claw and tail meat on buttered baking sheet, keeping tails in center with left and right claws on either side. Make several cross cuts on underside of tails to keep them from curling up. Brush tops of lobster with butter, then cover tray with foil. (Lobsters can be prepared one day in advance and refrigerated.)

Place tray of prepared lobster in 450-degree oven about 10 minutes or until lobster is hot and just cooked throughout.

Ladle Lemon Cream Sauce on bottom of warmed plates. Arrange lobster head at top center, with tail meat coming out from bottom of shell. Place 2 claws on either side of body shell and arrange 3 legs on either side of tail meat. Place flipper at bottom of tail meat. Surround with Fried Spinach Leaves and salmon caviar, if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.