cinco de mayo... taco tuesday... whatever you're celebrating, just. add. lobster. and olé! you've nailed that taco scene.

when it comes to cooking lobster, most people, including myself, are intimidated by the popular crustacean. never have i ever sent whole, live, breathing lobster to its demise in a pot of boiling water…yet. i know i'll do it eventually, it's just that for some meals that have a lot of other ingredients going on, (aka tacos), i prefer to take some shortcuts that dial down the prep time. (or could it be i just want to get to the eating of the tacos part faster? sure. so sue me.)

this taco recipe is great with any grilled fish, meat, you name it. so, if you're not one for lobster, (don't ever tell me because I don’t think we can be friends), don't sweat it. however, most seafood counters at your grocery store will have lobster tails and claws, and if the claws are already cooked--that's okay! (saves you some time). the chili-lime slaw and the avocado crema are also a pair of best-supporting stars to this dish and can be used in other things too--so be sure to save the extras!

here's what you need

corn tortillas
crumbled cotija cheese

lobster

2 lobster tails and 2-4 claws (or if you're adventurous, the whole lobster)
1/2 stick butter
1 tsp. ancho chili powder

chili-lime slaw

3 cups shredded purple and green cabbage
1/4 cup oil
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. ancho chili powder (add more if you like a little kick!)
1 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1-2 green onions, chopped
juice of 1 large lime
salt + pepper, to taste

avocado crema

1 avocado, pitted and peeled
1/2 cup plain, non-fat greek yogurt
juice of 1 lime
1 garlic clove

here's how to do it

start with the lobster. if previously frozen, thaw in the fridge prior to cooking. first, melt the butter and stir in chili powder. for the tails, brush them with melted butter-chili mix and broil on a baking sheet on HIgh for around 5-7 minutes, until they are no longer translucent, and you can pull the meat out with a fork. for the claws, bring a pot of water to boil and toss them in for 7-10 minutes. carefully crack the claws and chop up all the lobster meat into nice chunks. set aside for tacos. (and try your hardest not to dive in right then and there).

for the slaw: combine oil, vinegar, sugar, chili and lime juice and whisk until blended. pour over cabbage and add cilantro and green onion and toss to coat. add some salt + pepper, to taste.

last, but certainly not least, the avocado crema. using a food processor or blender, combine the avocado, greek yogurt, garlic and lime juice and blend until smooth. now, it's time to assemble! there's really no rhyme or reason to assembling tacos, so go crazy. simply layer your corn tortillas with a little slaw, then some lobster chunks, maybe a little more slaw, and drizzle with the avocado crema and top with an extra squeeze of lime, cilantro, and crumbled cotija cheese. and olé! time to party.