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Here's the stuff that we know about Lobster... |
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 The king of the crustaceans, lobster is a delicacy that commands a very high price, with white, firm meat that is sweet and succulent.
Before it is cooked, lobster shell has a very dark colour, with tints that range from blue/green to red/purple - it gains its distinctive deep red brick colour only when it's cooked.
Generally speaking, the colder the waters in which the lobster was fished, the better the flavour. There are three main types: Canadian or American, which have round, very fleshy claws; European, fished around England, Scotland, Ireland, Brittany and Norway, which are considered to have the best flavour; and Slipper or Squat lobster, which live in warmer oceans, such as those surrounding Australia, where they are called 'bugs'. They have wide bodies and spindly legs, and aren't generally sold in Europe. |
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How do I get Lobster ready to use? |
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A halved, freshly cooked lobster is ready to eat - the only thing you might need to do is to crack open the claws (if they haven't been cracked already) using a hammer or a pair of lobster crackers, in order to access the claw meat.
If you have bought a live lobster, you should kill it just before cooking it. The most humane way to do this is to put it in the freezer for two hours, or put in a container and cover it with crushed ice for the same amount of time - this will render it unconscious. Then, having made sure that the lobster is no longer moving, push the tip of a large, sharp, heavy knife or a skewer through the centre of the cross on its head, and it's believed that this will kill it instantly.
Alternatively, put the chilled lobster in a large pan of cold, salted water and slowly bring it to the boil. It will die before the water boils. When the water has reached boiling point, lower the heat and simmer the lobster for around 15 minutes for the first 450g. Simmer for a further 10 minutes for eac |
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What about keeping Lobster? |
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Eat live lobsters on the day you buy then - until you use them they should be stored wrapped in damp newspaper or teatowel and kept in the fridge. Keep cooked lobster in its original packaging in the fridge, and eat as soon as possible. |
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How do I cook Lobster? |
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Serve boiled lobster hot with melted butter or cold with mayonnaise; halved and grilled (10-12 minutes); in the classic French dish, lobster thermidor, with béchamel sauce; in simple pasta sauces. |
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What happens if I don't have Lobster? |
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Try langoustine, crayfish or crab. |
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