|
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?
|
About
The Author
Chef
Richard has worked for some of the top
fine dining restaurants in the United
States and is the author of the ebook
“Chef’s Special”. You can find free
recipes, informative articles and order
the ebook at http://www.csrecipes.com |
|
|
