Ingredients
Lobster
Other Names: Astakós (Greek); astice, lupicante (Italian); bogavante (Spanish); homard, homard Américain (French); hummer (German, Norwegian); iseebi (Japanese); istakoz (Turkish); omar (Russian); zeekreeft (Dutch). Nephropidae.
General Description: The American lobster (Homarus americanus) is a slow-growing, prized sea creature. Native American tribes fished for lobsters that were so plentiful they were often found on the beach at low tide—they could be
three to four feet long. High demand has led to higher prices, smaller lobsters, and smaller harvests. Steamed lobster with drawn butter and New England lobster roll sandwiches are East Coast favorites.
The European lobster (H. gammarus) closely resembles the American lobster but tends to be smaller with less robust tearing and crushing claws. Nicknamed “the cardinal of the sea” because of its bright red color when cooked, this lobster has been highly prized in France since the fifteenth century.
Locale and Season: American lobsters are found in shallower water, especially in rocky areas where they can hide, from Labrador to North Carolina; those from colder waters are more highly regarded. Eighty percent of New England’s lobsters are harvested from July to October, though some of those are kept in “pounds” for sale later in the season. Availability is lowest from March to July. The European lobster ranges from northern Europe as far south as
the Mediterranean.
Characteristics: A lobster’s body is divided into two main parts: the head and thorax (midsection) and the abdomen
(called the tail) with its small, scissorlike feelers. The color of live lobsters varies from olive green to dark green-brown with orange, reddish, dark green, or black speckles and bluish joints. The darker the live color, the brighter the cooked color. A genetic defect makes about one in two million lobsters bright blue when alive. Lobster meat is mild and sweet in flavor, with an incomparable meaty texture and satisfying flavor. The tail meat is firmer, the claw meat stringier. Lobsters cooked at high heat, either in oil or by
steam, will be brightest.
How to Choose: A live lobster should look lively and wiggle its claws. Its tail should snap back when straightened, and the shell should be hard and thick. Although a newly molted lobster may be larger, it will have limited amounts of watery, flaccid meat. Female lobsters are plumper and mature females will usually carry the flavorful dark green roe that turns coral red when cooked. Look at the first set of feelers below the thorax: They are soft on a female, hard on a male, and females have shorter, wider tails. A cull has one or both claws missing or has a tiny replacement claw and may sometimes be found at a lower price. A chicken or chix lobster is between 1 and 1 1/4 pounds, the minimum size sold, and less desirable, because the proportion of meat is low. A 1 1/2-pound lobster is most common and works well for most recipes. Larger lobsters not only weigh more but also cost more per pound. The greenish tomalley, a set of glands, has the texture of scrambled eggs and is considered a delicacy. People are now advised not to eat the tomalley
because it accumulates contaminants from the environment.
Yield is about 25 percent meat from hardshelled lobsters.
Storage: To store a live lobster, place in a box or shallow pan in the refrigerator and cover with a dampened cloth,
seaweed, or layers of damp newspaper for 1 day. Do not use fresh water or ice. Cooked lobster meat may be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days. Culls must be cooked the same day they’re purchased. Hardshelled lobsters live longer than those with soft shells.
Preparation:
1. To cut up a live lobster, grip it on the back of its
thorax. Plunge the point of a sharp chef ’s knife between the shell sections where the head meets the body, killing the lobster instantly.
2. Twist off the tail. Remove and reserve any dark green roe sacs. Split the tail lengthwise, then remove and
discard the (usually clear) intestine that runs down the center and the small stomach sac from inside the head. Crack the claws and “knuckles,” the upper portion of the claw. Sauté, pan-sear, roast, broil, or grill in the shell. Or, cook briefly by poaching or boiling in court bouillon, then cool and remove the meat from the shell and briefly sauté, broil, or grill until fully cooked.
3. To boil whole lobster, bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil, then plunge the lobster headfirst into the water. Boil 12 to 15 minutes for smaller lobsters, 17 minutes for larger lobsters. The lobster is cooked when it is bright red and the legs and antennae can be pulled off easily. The tail shell should be curled, but not too tightly, an indication of overcooking. Serve with melted butter or other sauce.
4. To remove the meat from a cooked lobster, twist off
the claws. Using a mallet, crack the claws and knuckles. Remove the claws from their shells, trying to leave them as intact as possible. Twist off the tail from the body and, using scissors, cut along the underside of the shell. Pull off the tail shell, leaving the meat intact. Twist off the small pincers from the body and pull out the long thin meat on the inside (only worth doing on larger lobsters).
Suggested Recipe: Maine Lobster Roll (Serves 2 to 3): Steam or boil 1 (1 1/2-pound) lobster, cool, remove the meat, cut into small pieces, mix with mayonnaise to taste, and serve in hot dog buns with lettuce.
Flavor Affinities: Artichoke, basil, brandy, coriander, cream, dill, fennel, garlic, lemon, lime, onion, orange, saffron, shallot, sherry, tarragon, thyme, tomato, truffle, white wine.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
