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24 March 09 - Mad Lobster Mondays

There are not many people who don’t enjoy digging into the soft pulp of a well cooked lobster after waging war on its troublesome shell. But it’s not the most appealing shellfish to cook in your own home, and it can be tricky to find an affordable and tasty one to poke your fork into.

The history of lobsters stretches to those days when they were exceedingly cheap. Culinary evidence confirms lobsters were known to ancient Romans and Greeks when they were served cold with dressing, not hot and "in the rough," as we are most likely to encounter them today.

For a long time lobsters were considered a poor man’s fare, but they were highly esteemed by the British and enjoyed a resurgence of demand in the 19th century which still holds true today.

In Victorian times a lobster was dressed in many ways, but the commonest was to boil them, simmer in sea water and eat them cold, or they could be kept as long as 3 months wrapped in brine-soaked rags and buried deep in sand. They were also eaten in sauces for other fish, as accompaniments to roasts, baked in a stew, fricassee, or even in a pie.

In 1845 Eliza Acton wrote cookbooks for the new Victorian middle class. Her lobster recipes include: boiling, buttering, cutlets, fricassees, hot patties, potted lobster, salads and even sausages. (Modern Cookery of Private Families, Eliza Acton)

Then, just as today, Lobster was considered especially elegant and appropriate food for lovers, being an aphrodisiac.

When people went across to settle in America they were amazed to find that the lobster was one of the most commonly found crustaceans; they washed up on the beaches of Plymouth , Massachusetts , in piles of two feet high, some weighed forty pounds or more.

Nowadays lobsters need to be caught by licensed catchers and traditionally have one of the highest price tags on the menu. Which is why it may come as a surprise that one restaurant in Plymouth manages catch and serve theirs for a price that means even the toughest of shell couldn’t keep us away!

Steve Bowen at The Waterfront Bar and Restaurant explains why he believes he has built a reputation for serving luscious lobsters; “The superior flavour of shellfish from the Devon coastline is well known, so it is only partly down to the talent of our chefs! All lobsters vary in size, the majority of the meat is in the tail and the two front claws, but smaller quantities can be found in the legs and torso. They can be boiled or steamed and used in a wide array of dishes and salads. We serve it as bisque, or in a pot with other seafood, grilled with Waterfront lobster butter, or in a salad. Our most popular is ‘Lobster Frites’. In the summer we’ll even grill it on our barbeque.”

In recent years the high price of lobster has led to the marketing of "faux lobster" which is clearly labelled as such. It is often made from Pollock or other whitefish that has been altered to look and taste similar to lobster.

At The Waterfront Bar and Restaurant Kelly and Steve Bowen assure their customers that what they order is what they get; “We have the biggest Lobster holding tank in Europe , and we’re very happy for people to come and have a look, and even choose their own if they would like to. Last year we sold over 1000 lobsters per month, that’s 250 a week! All our lobsters are caught 3 miles off the view from our windows - you can’t get more local than that!” says Kelly.

In fact the lobsters on the menu have been so popular that Steve and Kelly have decided to launch Mad Lobster Mondays, a set menu lunch or dinner that includes their popular ‘Lobster Frites’ and a glass of chilled white wine for only £14.95 served every Monday from the 13th April.

So what’s the secret? Head Chef Tony Dalton responsible for cooking the lobster dishes at The Waterfront said; “the secret to cooking our lobsters is......”

That’s where the interview finished. After all – a good chef doesn’t reveal all his secrets!

Lobster Pot

From Tony Dalton, head chef at The Waterfront Restaurant and Bar in Plymouth .

Serves 2

Garlic cloves 3
Banana shallots 2
Dry white wine 200ml
Unsalted butter 25g plus a little extra
Tiger prawns 6
River Fowey mussels 10
Local shell-on prawns 20
Plymouth sound crab claws 2
Hand dived sea scallops 6
Live Plymouth Sound lobster 1 whole, about 750g
New potatoes 8 halves
Baby leaf spinach a handful
Fresh lemon juice a squeeze
Nutmeg a small grating
Chives and parsley a handful, chopped

Hold the lobster in one hand and push a sharp knife down through the cross on the lobster’s head to kill it instantly. Cut the lobster in half, remove the intestines, liver and brain and remove the claws.

Poach the lobster claws and crab claws in well-salted water for 8 minutes. At the same time season the body of the lobster and place under the grill, flesh side up, with a little butter in each half for eight minutes, turning once.

Heat the butter till foaming then pan-fry the shallots, garlic and tiger prawns until lightly coloured. Meanwhile season the scallops and pan-fry them separately with the potatoes in olive oil until golden.

Add the mussels and white wine to the prawns, garlic and shallots. When opened add the prawns and cream and bring to the boil. Add the spinach and take off the heat, and finish with a grate of nutmeg, squeeze of lemon juice and black pepper. Assemble the pot with the lobster on top of the sauce and the scallops, potatoes and claws around the outside. Sprinkle with the chopped chives and parsley.