If you have reached the ‘ninth dan’ of foraging and caught your own Lobster, you will want to enjoy it at its very best. I do not think that the smoky, herby flavours of this North African sauce will disappoint.
Ingredients
- 2 live Lobsters
- salt
For the Charmoula
- 90 g unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 2½ tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
- 1½ tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- A few gratings of lemon zest
- A pinch of chilli flakes
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp hot smoked Spanish paprika
- Sea salt
How to Make It
- Do follow the advice given for the gentle dispatch of Lobsters.
- Bring a large pan of sea water or well-salted fresh water to the boil (allow 10 g salt per litre of water) and drop the Lobsters into it. Cover, return to the boil and then remove the lid. From the moment the water returns to the boil, boil steadily and time the cooking as follows: allow 10 minutes for a 500 g Lobster, 15 minutes for one weighing 750 g, and an extra 5 minutes for every 500 g after that. Remove the Lobsters from the pan and allow them to cool a little until comfortable to handle.
- While the Lobsters are cooling, make the charmoula. Melt the butter in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and let it bubble very softly for a minute. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, season with a little salt and divide between individual serving bowls.
- To divide the Lobsters in two, you will need a chopping board and a large, heavy knife. Lay one belly-side down on a board, its legs splayed out. Steadying the Lobster with one hand, place your knife in the centre of its head, with the blade facing the Lobster’s nose and press down hard until the knife meets the board and the Lobster’s top half is split down the middle. Swivel the knife around and repeat the process in the opposite direction, splitting the Lobster from middle to tail.
- Arrange the lobster halves on plates and serve with the charmoula.
