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Lobster's Not Just For The Rich & Famous Anymore!

By Rocco 'Boss Hog' Loosbrock

These days a lobster dinner is far more affordable than ever. There's simply no reason to ever again reserve the luxury of a delicious lobster dinner for only those very rare and special occasions. Kim Honey, the illustrious "Food Editor" of the Toronto Star has recently written a great column on how to regularly enjoy a meal made for royalty with this very simple ands easy to follow recipe.

Dig in and enjoy!

The price of lobster has fallen dramatically, which is bad for the fishermen but good for us, since it now costs less than, say, a prime rib roast (between $7 and $10 a pound for lobster at time of writing).

For six people I'd buy 10 beasts. Most can eat only one 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound crustaceans, but there are always one or two in the crowd who go for a second. If you don't have a pot big enough (a 20-litre pot can handle four lobsters), use two. Finally, be sure to snip off the elastics holding the claws shut. The rubber can subtly flavour the water and the lobster flesh if you add it to the cooking pot.

INGREDIENTS

Lobster:

4 gallons of water

1 cup rock or coarse salt

6 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 lb live lobsters

Lemon butter:

1/2 pound salted butter

Fresh lemon juice to taste

DIRECTIONS

For lobster, bring water and salt to boil in large stockpot, starting about an hour before you want to eat. Turn it off if you're not ready; it will come quickly to boil next time heat is turned on.

Hold lobster firmly by body behind the head; snip off elastics and quickly dunk head first into boiling water. Add another 3 lobsters in quick succession, taking care not to crowd the pot. Cover with lid.

Cook 12 minutes (don't wait for water to return to boil). Remove with tongs; hang by tails from edge of sink to cool for 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining lobsters.

For butter, melt in small pot. Pour into ramekins, leaving solids behind. Add fresh lemon juice to taste.

Twist bodies at tail to separate; clean any roe or green stuff (the tomalley) out. Pull off legs. Twist off claws. Supply lobster shears or scissors along with picks to help remove meat from shell. Serve with butter for dipping.

Makes 6 servings.

Signing off at Pigging out!
Rocco "Boss Hog" Loosbrock

Rocco owns and runs a Bacon of the Month Club called The Bacon Freak Bacon is Meat Candy Club as well as a Wine Club called the Coastal Vineyard Wine Club