Lobsters

Today, a guy who catches lobsters in Lynmouth Bay knocked on the door and asked if I wanted to buy some. I went out and had a look in the back of his car. They looked brilliant. Very lively and fresh so I bought 5.

Before I cooked them I put them in the freezer for 10 minutes. I read somewhere this makes them sleepy and makes it less cruel when you boil them. I used to always stab their head with a knife before cooking but that was quite messy so this is a good solution.

After I cook them I take off the claws, then cut the body in half. I rinse them out and take the meat from the left half and put it in the shell of the right half and vice versa, this way it shows the red outside of the tail and looks nicer. Then I crack the claw and the leg and take the meat out of both and place it in the empty head area of the shell so that the whole shell is filled with edible meat.

When I serve it I put thermidor sauce over the top and grill it with some parmesan too. Then serve it with a crunchy fennel and samphire salad, lemon and new potatoes.

The shells from the legs and claws I roast and then make either a bisque or a stock with. The stock is for lobster and broad bean risotto cakes which I will serve with a cup of gazpacho. The bisque will serve as a sauce with turbot and tagliatelli and will also come with crayfish and spinach.

I LOVE MY JOB!!

I also applied for a chef lecturer vacancy today at a college. It was advertised for 1 day a week and would be a nice addition to my cooking job!