Lobster Friday

I wasn't sure exactly what I would find at the wholesale market at Smithfield, east Manchester when I arrived at 05:00 this morning, but I thought it might be worth a nosey as I hadn't been before.

It opens weekdays between 02:00 and noon, but even I couldn't manage early doors. In hindsight this might have been better as by the time I walked through the fish market bit, everyone seemed to be packing away.

I thought about photographing, but with the darkness, as well as quite sullen Manc faces and loads of fork lift trucks hurtling around, I decided to defer until maybe I come again in the summer time and daylight.

I had vague notions of buying a whole Turbut today, but I didn't spot any this time (though I am not sure I would know my Turbut from my Halibut if ever pressed anyway). In the end, I spotted some live Lobster and so bought 3 at about 1.5 Llb in weight each. That cost me £32 in total. I did read on the market website that you are meant to barter, but I wasn't really in the mood, being about as zonked-out as the Lobster and the salesman. "Be nice with them" the man said as he allowed me to rummage around and chose. Mmmm not sure he is in the right line of business.

These Lobsters are for Christmas Eve, so I wasn't going to be mean and try to keep them alive in the fridge when I got home, but didn't want to freeze them either. A lot of debate out there as to the correct and/or humane method to cook, and I have tried them all - including the pre-freeze and head cut. Given their condition, I decided this time on just the instant dispatch via a cauldron of rapidly boiling water and individual cooking.

Net result was MrsB walked into the completely steam-filled kitchen this morning at 08:30 to find me par-boiling each for four and a half minutes precisely on a stop watch, followed by a plunge in an iced water bath to stop the cooking.

She's used to such scenes by now, and so didn't bat an eye as she made some tea.