Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/714702
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 14 AUGUST 2016 35 CRACKING into that hard outer shell to tuck into the succulent sweet meat makes eating a lobster ever so sweet. The prestige attached to lob- ster only makes the experience more and more desirable. However, lobsters were not always the pricey dish they are today, and when the United States was getting its first European settlers, the succu- lent crustacean was deemed a poor man's dish due to the abundance that washed up on the beaches in piles of up to two feet high. As they were cheap to harvest they became a staple diet for the poor man living in the costal villages. By the mid 1800s the disdain for the lobster waned and fishermen in Maine began to export lobsters as far as they could travel. Overfishing reduced the lobster bed so severely that strict conservation measures pushed the price of the lobster to those we know today. Though lobsters are best eaten whole, boiled, steamed or grilled, the meat can be stretched in bisques, sauces, spreads and casseroles to make the most of the rich flavour. They should be served whole if boil- ing or steaming and halved when placed on the grill. Being served with a whole lobster for the first time may be intimidat- ing, though with a little bit of prac- tice it makes the dining experience all the more exciting. You will need a specialised lobster cracker and a lobster pick to get through the hard shell and extract the tender, juicy meat. Lobsters come in two varieties – the spiny lobster, or the rock lob- ster found in warmer waters of the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Aus- tralia, New Zealand and other Pacific island waters, and clawed lobsters found in Europe, including the Med- iterranean and North America. The spiny version is very different from the clawed counterparts, with very long antennae which they use to protect themselves from predators. The clawed lobsters are generally known to have more white meat and large claws, though spiny lobsters pack more meat in their tails. Live lobsters should be cooked the same day they are purchased, though they can be stored for a short while in the fridge. Lobsters should be kept as cold as possible in an open container, such as a cardboard box packed with newspaper or seaweed to keep them moist. Never store them on ice or in tap water as the fresh water will kill them. Fine food of the week Cracking into a lobster Food Ingredients For the paste • 10 long red chillies, seeds re- moved, finely chopped • 2 shallots, finely chopped • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 2cm piece galangal, chopped (alternatively use root ginger) • 1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped • 2 tbsp coriander roots For the lobster Thai curry • 2 kaffir lime leaves • ¼ tsp shrimp paste • ½ tsp ground cumin • ½ tsp ground coriander • ½ tsp paprika • 200ml coconut milk • 1 tbsp fish sauce • 1 tbsp tamarind paste • 1 lime, juice only • 1 tsp palm sugar • 2 cooked lobsters, meat re- moved • 2 tbsp coriander cress • For the butter basmati rice • 2 tbsp unsalted butter • 2 cloves • 1 cinnamon stick, broken in two • 250g basmati rice METHOD • For the paste, place all the ingre- dients into a small food proces- sor and blend until smooth. • For the lobster Thai curry, heat a wok, then add the paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. • Add the lime leaves, shrimp paste, cumin, coriander and pa- prika. Cook for one minute. • Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, tamarind, lime juice and palm sugar. • Meanwhile remove the meat from the lobster and chop the meat, leaving the claw intact. • Add the lobster to the wok and cook until the lobster is hot. Re- duce the heat and let the curry simmer gently until ready to serve. • Meanwhile for the butter bas- mati rice, heat a medium sauce- pan and add one tablespoon of butter. • Once the butter has melted, add the cloves and cinnamon and cook for one minute. Add the rice and enough water to cover. • Cover with a lid and turn the heat down to the lowest setting and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the lid on until ready to serve. • Just before serving stir the re- maining butter though the rice. • To serve, serve the rice in a serving bowl along with the lobster curry, topped with cori- ander cress. Recipe of the week Lobster Thai curry with butter basmati rice and coriander cress Spiny lobsters pack more meat in the tails