Savor the Romance: Grilled Live Lobster with Garlic Butter for a Decadent Valentine's Day Dinner

Grilled lobster with garlic butter feels like a splurge, but it's surprisingly simple to pull off. That combination of elegant and easy makes it a great pick for an intimate Valentine's Day dinner. Let's fire up the grill.

Ingredients:

• 4 live lobsters, about 1 and 1/2 pounds each
• 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 lemon wedges, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Prepare the grill: Preheat your grill to high heat and make sure the grates are clean.

2. Make the garlic butter: In a small bowl, mix together the butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Clean the lobsters: Rinse the lobsters under cold running water and use kitchen scissors to cut off the rubber bands from their claws. Split the lobsters in half lengthwise, starting from the head and ending at the tail. Remove the digestive tract and the tomalley. To do this, cut off the head and claws first, then lift the tail to find the digestive tract, which runs along the top of the tail. Use a small knife or your finger to gently remove the tract, taking care not to damage the meat. The tomalley, also called the green liver, sits in the body cavity and scoops out with a spoon. Note that the tomalley should be thoroughly cooked before eating, since it can contain bacteria.

4. Brush the lobster halves with the garlic butter mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Grill the lobsters: Place the lobster halves on the hot grill, meat-side down, and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the meat is fully cooked and the shells are slightly charred. Baste the lobsters with the remaining garlic butter as they cook.

6. Serve and enjoy: Serve the grilled lobster with lemon wedges and extra garlic butter on the side.

That's it. A rich, special dish that you and your partner can linger over.

On the patio or at the dining room table, grilled lobster with garlic butter is a fine way to celebrate Valentine's Day. Light up the grill and dig in.