Forget Carp, lets talk preparing Lobster. Live too!

SubJeff on 14/7/2009 at 21:55

So I'm 50mins drive from a coastal town in the UK where I know I cam pick up some fresh live lobster. I've done it before and was wondering exactly what I should do with these beauties this time around. Last time we just boiled them and ate them with some other stuff that wasn't "designed" to go with lobster.

I was wondering if any cooking types here had any tips on preparing lobster.

In order to get them in the pot without killing them us (these were pretty big dudes, about 1kg each - that's over 2 pounds - with grabbing claws that completely filled my hand and then some) we put them in plastic bags and chilled them to sleep (not dead - let them warm and the wake up) in the freezer before taking the claw binders off and dropping them in the pot.

I've heard that you can blend the entire shells to tasty mush which I've never tried. I never blend the shells totally for Bisque, just crush/grind and sieve the bits out (and you never get them all :( ) but I'm told blending and then adding the mush to tomato and onion sauce makes for a perfect pasta sauce.

So I was thinking of getting 2 (or 3 or 4) and boiling, halving and then grilling with garlic and parsley butter but I'd love to hear other people's ideas about killing/cleaning/cooking them.

gunsmoke on 14/7/2009 at 22:07

I was a sous chef for 10 yrs. Give me a bit, and I'll dig up what recipes I have

Renzatic on 14/7/2009 at 23:11

Since I hate fish, but love the taste of all the other animals of the sea, I endorse this topic wholeheartedly.

Also I can't cook to save my life. Seriously. Impossible though I once thought it was, I somehow managed to fuck up basic chili. Thanks to these threads, I can live vicariously through people who can.

Flagston on 15/7/2009 at 02:15

I had a live lobster in my possession once but I didn't have the heart to throw the little bugger in pot of boiling water. I threw it into the freezer instead and never did eat it. I guess I can't give you any cooking tips but here is a great way to impress the ladies:
(http://banderasnews.com/howto/lobster.htm)

Tonamel on 15/7/2009 at 02:33

I've never cooked a lobster myself, but my (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoLHap8KNIY&fmt=18) main source of culinary advice says steam them halfway, then finish in the oven.

Starrfall on 15/7/2009 at 02:53

Cut them in half ALIVE and grill them don't boil them first (claws go separate)

Do this on a beach, preferably