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By Chef Richard
Lobster has always be one of those
extravagant meals which few people ever try because of the high cost.
With restaurants paying thirty dollars a pound, by the time they put
their markup on it, you’re easily paying sixty dollars for a ten ounce
tail. This high cost leaves lobster dinners for the well-to do or at
least only for special occasions. But, this doesn’t have to be. With
more and more retail store offering lobster, you can create a romantic
dinner for two at a reasonable price. If you buy two eight ounce tails
for thirty dollars, that’s only fifteen dollars a person. Add a starch
and vegetable and it’s still cheaper than going out to dinner and
having steak or even chicken. Turn the lights down low, add a candle
and ship the kid’s off to grandma’s house.
Cooking lobster
is relatively easy. There are hundred’s of recipes on the internet or
in books. The simplest way is to split the shell down the top, pull
the meat out of the shell about 90% of the way and lay it on top of
the shell. Place in a pan with a little water and cover with foil (do
not let the foil touch the lobster). Cook at 350 degrees until the
meat turns white (around 140 F) then baste with butter and season with
salt and pepper. As with any food, avoid the temptation to overcook
it. When overcooked the lobster meat will become tough and less
appealing.
About
Lobster
Lobsters are ten
legged arthropods, meaning they have no backbone. The lobster creates
its skeleton on the outside in the form of a shell with joint
appendages. There are two major types of lobster on the market. Maine
also called Canadian or American lobster and spiny sometimes call rock
lobster.
The Maine lobster
inhabits the cold waters of the Atlantic in the area of Canada and the
northeast United States. This lobster has two claws, one claw very
large and flat, while the other is smaller and thinner. These lobster
take up to seven years to reach one pound and average about one to
three pounds when harvested. The Maine lobster is sold live or already
cooked and usually the meat used in mixed dishes or dishes like
lobster thermador
The spiny lobster
is a clawless warmwater variety, which are actually large seagoing
crayfish. There are 49 species of spiny lobster which swim the world’s
warm waters. Because the tail is the only real edible part of the
spiny lobster, it is usually sold frozen as a lobster tail. The spiny
lobster found off Florida, Brazil and the Caribbean are called
“warmwater tails”, while those found off South Africa, New Zealand and
Australia are markets as “coldwater tails”. The coldwater variety of
spiny lobster is considered superior and favored among restaurants.
Cooking lobster
at home can be a delicious alternative to going out. Why not give it a
try? |
