lobster recipes

Lobster Recipes

• Like all recipes, there are unlimited ways to prepare the same dish. Baked stuffed lobster is no exception. Here's an easy recipe for baked stuffed lobster.

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 (1 to 1-1/2 pounds) live lobster

• 2 cups crushed buttery cracker crumbs (such as Ritz)

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 1/4 cup minced celery

• 1/4 cup minced onion

• 1/4 cup minced green pepper

• 4 tablespoons tomalley (optional)

• 4 tablespoons coral roe (optional)

• 1/4 cup cubed lobster meat (optional)

• 1/4 cup cubed crab meat (optional)

• Sharp knife

• Kitchen shears

• Rubber gloves

Step 1

• Use rubber gloves to handle the lobster if you wish. If you prefer to kill the lobster humanely, insert a sharp knife underneath the lobster between the body and tail. Inserting the knife through the body behind the eyes is another method. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2

• Grab the body and the tail and use both hands to break and separate. You can also use a knife instead. You do one of three things to the greenish or yellowish tomalley (basically, liver) and pinkish coral roe (eggs). You can use them for the stuffing, leave them in the body, or discard them.

Step 3

• With shears, cut the top of the tail from the torn side up to the fan tail. Lift up the meat without separating it. Let the meat lie on the top of the tail and set aside.

Step 4

• Heat and melt 1/2 cup of butter mix it with the crackers in a bowl. Blend until there is a pasty consistency. Add the celery, onions, green peppers, and add optional ingredients if desired.

Step 5

• Stuff the paste-like stuffing into the body cavity and the tail cavity. If there are any leftover stuffing, roll them into a ball like a crabcake to cook along with the lobster. Put the stuffed lobster into a 2 inch baking pan or Pyrex.

Step 6

• Cook the lobster for 30 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or until the meat is white and firm. Enjoy your baked stuffed lobster.

Tips And Warnings

• The recipe for the stuffing can be varied alot. Even the plain old stuffing you use for turkey at Thanksgiving can be used instead of the stuffing recipe used here. This will make the preparation even faster.

RELATED ARTICLES

A. Crab Recipes

Chili Crab Recipes

INGREDIENTS :

• 6 live Blue crabs [or 2 Dungeness and/or Malaysian mud crabs about 1½-lb each]

• 4 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil

• 3 tbsp garlic, finely minced

• 2 tbsp ginger, finely grated

• 1 large egg

• salt and pepper

To Combine [Chili Sauce] :

• 4-5 tbsp or to taste, chili paste

• 1 cup tomato ketchup

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 2 tbsp rice vinegar or lemon juice

• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

• ½-1 tbsp soy bean paste [Miso paste]

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 1 cup water

Variation :

• For Chili Prawns substitute with 1½ to 2-lb jumbo prawns or colossal shrimp. For Chili Lobster substitute with a 1½ to 2-lb lobster.

To Prepare :

• Clean Blue crabs and cut into halves. Dungeness or Mud crabs can be cut into 4. Crack the shells and claws ever so gently with a wooden mallet

•  In a bowl combine chili sauce ingredients, mix well

• Heat peanut or vegetable oil in a hot wok, add garlic, ginger and chili paste

• stir-fry for 2-3 mins Add combined chili sauce ingredients to wok

• Bring sauce to a boil, add salt and pepper to taste [Note: Miso paste is salty, therefore taste before adding salt]

• Toss in crabs, stir-fry to coat with the sauce, about 2 mins

• Cover and cook crabs over med-high heat until the turn red in color

• Lift cover from time to time to give it a good stir [check the sauce does not dry up, add some water if necessary]

• When crabs are almost fully cooked, push crabs to the sides of the wok, or remove them with a slotted spoon

• Break an egg into the sauce, stirring gently to form yellow and white streaks, then mix in the crabs

• Remove crabs from the wok and keep warm, let stand 10 mins for flavors to meld

• Serve with French baguette to dip into the yummy sauce - and have a nice cold one... preferably a Tiger!

B. Shrimp Recipes

• Here are more than a dozen delicious shrimp recipes, including several recipes for shrimp scampi and garlic shrimp, grilled shrimp, shrimp salad recipes, and shrimp appetizers. Scroll down the page for more shrimp recipes and other seafood recipe pages.

1. Shrimp Scampi

One of the most popular recipes on this site, this shrimp scampi is made with butter, garlic, green onions, white wine, lemon juice, and parsley, along with large shrimp and seasonings.

• This shrimp scampi recipes is one of the most popular recipes on this site. An easy recipe for shrimp scampi, made with shrimp, garlic, butter, and a little white wine and lemon juice.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (about 16 to 24)
• 1/3 cup clarified butter
• 4 tablespoons minced garlic
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh if possible
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

• Rinse shrimp and set aside. Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic 1 or 2 minutes or until softened but not browned. Add shrimp, green onions, wine and lemon juice; cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook. Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper before serving. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs if desired. Makes 8 first-course servings.

2. Shrimp Scampi II

• Another delicious scampi recipe, this one is made with shrimp, olive oil and vermouth, garlic, lemon, and other seasonings.

• Shrimp scampi is always a favorite, and so easy!

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup vermouth
• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 1 large lemon

Preparation:

• Heat oil over medium low heat in a large skillet. Sauté shrimp; add vermouth, garlic, salt, and pepper; simmer until liquid is almost evaporated. Sprinkle with parsley and lemon juice. Gently stir and serve with toothpicks as an appetizer.

3. Grilled or Broiled Shrimp

• Shrimp is marinated in a lemon or lime and garlic mixture then skewered and grilled or broiled.

• Grilled shrimp recipe with garlic.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds jumbo shrimps, shelled and deveined, tail left on
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed
• salt
• juice of 1 lime or lemon
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• garlic butter, below

Preparation:

• Use scissors to remove shells without disturbing tails. In a non-reactive bowl, combine crushed garlic, salt, lime juice, and olive oil. Put shrimp in bowl; stir to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Thread shrimp onto skewers and grill 5 to 6 inches from coals for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning frequently. Remove tails if cooking under broiler.

• Serves 4.

Garlic Butter for Dipping

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• salt

• In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add remaining ingredients; heat for 1 minute. Serve with shrimp or other seafood.

4. Grilled Shrimp

• Before grilling, shrimp is marinated in a mixture of lemon juice, green onions, garlic, and herbs, along with other seasonings.

• Recipe for grilled shrimp with a marinade of lemon juice green onions, parsley, garlic and oil.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds jumbo shrimp
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 to 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 bunch green onions, with a few inches of green, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

• Place shrimp in a glass bowl. Stir remaining ingredients together; pour over shrimp. Cover and marinate for 3 to 4 hours. Grill over hot coals for about 5 to 7 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time.

• Serves 4 to 6.

5. Shrimp Scampi III

• The shrimp is baked in this delicious version, with melted butter, garlic, parsley, and other herbs and seasonings.

• Easy and delicious, and look for more shrimp scampi recipes below.

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds large uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined*
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• lemon wedges

Preparation:

Directions for Shrimp Scampi

• Leave shell on tail section, if desired. Preheat oven to 400°. Melt butter in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan in oven. To the melted butter, add the salt, crushed garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the chopped parsley. Stir well. Arrange shrimp scampi in baking pan in a single layer. Bake, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Turn shrimp; sprinkle with lemon zest, lemon juice, and the rest of the parsley. Bake shrimp scampi for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just done. Arrange shrimp scampi on hot serving platter; pour garlic butter from pan over the shrimp and garnish with several lemon wedges. Shrimp scampi serves 4 to 6. 

C. Easy Lobster Recipes

1. Boiled Lobsters

Ingredients

• 2 or 3 tablespoons salt

• 4 live lobsters (about 1 1/2 pounds each)

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

• Lemon wedges

Directions

• Fill a large stockpot about half full of water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. When the water has come to a rolling boil, plunge the lobsters headfirst into the pot. Clamp the lid back on tightly and return the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the lobsters for 12 to 18 minutes (hard-shell lobsters will take the longer time), until the shells turn bright red and the tail meat is firm and opaque when checked.

• Lift the lobsters out of the water with tongs and drain in a colander. Place underside up on a work surface and, grasping firmly, split the tails lengthwise with a large knife. Drain off the excess liquid. Serve with melted butter and lemon wedges.

Note:

• Lobsters must be kept alive until they are cooked because their flesh begins to deteriorate soon after they die or are killed. Some experts recommend numbing the lobsters first by placing them in the freezer for about 10 minutes before cooking.

2. Boiled Maine Lobster

Ingredients

• 1 gallon water

• 3 fresh thyme sprigs

• 6 fresh flat leaf parsley sprigs

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 lemon

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

• 1/4 cup sea salt

• 4 (2-pound) lobsters

Directions

• To make a court-bouillon: Pour 1 gallon of water into a 16-quart stock pot over medium heat. Tie the thyme, parsley and bay leaves together with kitchen string to make a bouquet garni. Place the herb bundle in the stock pot and secure the end of the string to the pot handle for easy removal. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the water, then drop in the lemons. Add wine, peppercorns and sea salt. Bring to a rolling boil.

• Cut off the rubber bands that secure the lobster claws. Place live lobsters in the freezer for 15 minutes to disable movement. Plunge lobsters head first into the stock pot, cover, and boil for 15 minutes. The lobster shells will be red and the tails will curl up when done. Remove lobsters from boiling liquid with tongs.

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Bring to a boil until the milk solids have separated and sunk to the bottom of the pan. Ladle out the clarified butter and place in a warm cup until the lobster is done.

Steamed Lobsters

Ingredients

• 4 live lobsters, 3/4 to 2 pounds

• 4 wooden skewers

• Drawn Butter, recipe follows

Directions

• Choose a pot with a tight-fitting lid that is large enough to fit the lobsters comfortably with enough room for the steam to circulate around them. Wrap the lid tightly with a kitchen towel. Place a steamer basket or an upturned colander in the pot, and pour in cold water to a depth of about 2 inches. Cover and bring to a boil.

• Meanwhile, put the lobsters on a cutting board. Place the tip of a large, heavy knife at the cross marks on the back of a lobster's head. In one quick motion cut down through the head to the cutting board. Repeat with the remaining lobsters.

• To keep the tails straight and ensure even cooking, slip a thin wooden skewer through the length of the lobster's tails.

• When the water is boiling, quickly add the lobsters to the pot and cover. Steam the lobsters, shaking the pot occasionally, until cooked through, about 8 minutes for 3/4 to 1 pound lobsters, about 10 minutes for 1 to 1 1/4 pound lobsters, and about 11 minutes for 1 1/2 to 2 pound lobsters.

• Remove the lobsters from the pot and, if you are serving them whole, set them aside for several minutes to rest. Using the back of the heavy knife or a mallet crack the claws. Transfer the lobsters to plates and serve with drawn butter and lobster claw crackers.

• To remove all the meat from the lobster: Transfer the lobster to a colander in the sink and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking. Using your hands, twist the claws, knuckles, and tails off of the lobsters. Reserve the bodies for making broth.

• On a work surface, rest the tails on their sides and, using the palm of your hand, press down on them to crack the shells. Holding a tail with both hands, with the belly facing you, break the tail shell back and pop out the meat. Repeat with the remaining tails. If you have female lobsters (the swimmerets at top of the tail are soft and have hair-like wisps protruding from them), you may want to prepare CORAL BUTTER, (recipe follows) with the roe. The roe are the dark green eggs located in the body and the top of the tail. Carefully cut open the top of the tail and the body and remove the roe.

• Grab the "thumb" of a lobster claw and move it back and forth. Try to wiggle the shell off of the meat while pulling out the internal piece of cartilage, leaving the meat attached to the claw (this is a tricky maneuver, if it doesn't work you should be able to shake the meat out). Place the claw horizontally upright with the curve of the claw facing up. Using the heavy part of the blade of the knife, with a short and swift motion, crack the back end of the claw. Drop the claw to its side and, with the back of the knife, crack the side of the back of the claw. Remove the cracked back end of the claw and wiggle the meat out from the shell. Repeat with the remaining claws.

• Place the knuckles on the work surface and cover with a kitchen towel. Using the back of the knife, crack the knuckles. Using your hands, remove the shell from the knuckles and carefully pick out the meat. You may also use kitchen shears to cut open the knuckles and remove the meat.

Drawn Butter:

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter

• Place the butter in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 1 minute.

• Set the saucepan aside and let the butter settle, undisturbed. The milk solids will come to the top of the butter and the watery whey will collect on the bottom. Skim off the milk solids with a spoon and pour the drawn butter into a serving bowl or several small ramekins, taking care not include the watery liquid in the bottom of the pan. Serve.

Yield: about 1 cup

• CORAL BUTTER

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter

• 1 to 4 tablespoons lobster roe (eggs), also called coral, preferably uncooked

• Place the butter in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 1 minute.

• Set the saucepan aside and let the butter settle, undisturbed. The milk solids will come to the top of the butter and the watery whey will collect on the bottom. Skim off the milk solids with a spoon and pour the drawn butter into a small bowl. Wipe out the sauce and return the drawn butter to it.

• Place the roe in a medium bowl and whisk lightly to break it up. Heat the butter over medium heat until just hot. Gradually pour the warmed butter over the roe, while whisking, until the eggs turn bright red. Serve with lobster or other shellfish.

D. Lobster Tail Recipes

1. Baked Lobster Tail with White Chocolate and Pomegranate Reduction

• If you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day treat, this recipe screams Besame Mucho! In an unusual but spot-on pairing, the white chocolate and pomegranate bolster the delicate flavor of the lobster without overpowering it. Plus, your date will think you spent years at culinary school for pulling off this dish. You can skip the Panther Musk cologne tonight – this meal is the only aphrodisiac you’ll need.

Makes: 2 lovers swoon

Total kitchen time: 30 minutes

Shopping list:

• 2 fresh lobster tails (as large or small as your budget)

• 1 pomegranate (or, if you’re in a hurry, 1/2 cup pomegranate juice)

• 4 Oz. high-quality white chocolate

• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into cubes

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Set the top rack about 10″ below the heating element. This recipe also works great in a toaster oven, if you’ve got one.

• Cut off the top and bottom of the pomegranate. In a large bowl filled halfway with water, peel apart the pomegranate. The arils (they look like purple corn kernels) will sink to the bottom and the pith will float to the top. Discard all but the arils.

• Using my favorite squeezing tool, a potato ricer, squeeze as much juice as possible from the arils and reserve.

• Prepare each lobster tail by removing the membrane that covers the meat. Turn the tail upside down (as pictured) and cut away the transparent exoskeleton by trimming along the edges.

• Arrange the lobster tails, meat side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. If necessary, make a “U” out of a tin foil log to help keep the tails stable. Divide the butter between the two tails and bake for 15 minutes or until the lobster is just tender.

• Reduce the pomegranate juice in a small skillet over very high heat. You’re looking for the juice to reduce by about half, or until it starts to look slightly syrupy.

• Melt the white chocolate in a small saucepan over VERY low heat. White chocolate will burn easily if it is overheated. If this happens, throw out the chocolate and start again.

• Once the white chocolate is melted, drizzle in the reduced pomegranate juice. Use a spoon to swirl the pomegranate into the white chocolate so it looks pretty.

• Plate the lobster and spoon the white chocolate sauce onto the meat.

• Serve hot atop a bed of julienned asian pears. As a side, try a souffle or a panzanela salad. You and your date will be quite happy for your efforts.

2. Grilling the Perfect Lobster Tail

• One of the best things to make during a barbecue feast is a delectable grilled lobster tail. You can make a delicious surf -n turf dinner with grilled fresh lobster tails and filet mignon.

Grilling Lobster Tails

• Lobster tails should be cooked on medium heat, so if you are using charcoal, you will need to move most of the coals to one side of the grill. Grill the lobster tails on the cooler side of the grill. They only take a few minutes to grill, so when you are done grilling the steaks (and they are resting), you can grill the lobster tails.

Enhancing Your Lobster Tails

• What are fresh lobster tails without garlic butter? You can also make the garlic butter on the grill. Put ¼ cup butter in a thick-bottomed pan. Add two tablespoons of garlic powder or one tablespoon crushed garlic to the butter.

• Set the pan on a cooler part of the grill. If you prefer a different type of dipping sauce, you can either prepare it ahead of time, or if it only takes a few minutes, prepare it at the time you would prepare the garlic butter.

• Add the lobster tails to the grill. You do not need to wrap them in foil. Put them as they are right on the grill. Using tongs, flip them over one time. The shell should be bright red when they are finished.

• Remove the tails from the grill, and using a chef's knife or large kitchen shears, cut the top part of the shell open. If using a knife, take care not to cut down into the lobster meat too far.

• Garnish with lemon twists and parsley sprigs. Serve with the steaks and a side of garlic butter for a delicious steak and lobster dinner.

E. Boiled Lobster 

• Boiling is a common and easy way of preparing lobster - although many people prefer it steamed (see User's Tips). You can eat the lobster by itself - it's simple and elegant with some melted butter - or use the meat in recipes such as crepes, salads or risotto.

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• lobsters

• salt

• fresh lemon juice(3-4 lemons)

• Groceries

• Covered Stockpots

• Juicers

• Nutcrackers

• Paring Knives

• Tongs

• Paper Towels

• Paper Towels

• Mallets

• Paper towels

Step 1

• Fill a large stockpot with enough water to cover the lobsters, and bring to a boil over high heat.

Step 2

• Salt the water lightly and add lemon juice.

Step 3

• Put live lobsters headfirst into the boiling water. If you choose to kill them quickly before boiling, do this now (see Tips).

Step 4

• Allow the water to boil again, and then turn the heat down to medium.

Step 5

• Cover the pot and cook 5 minutes for the first pound and an additional 3 minutes for each additional pound. Like all shellfish, lobsters overcook almost instantly, so remove them from the water as soon as they're done.

Step 6

• Remove the lobsters from the water and drain them on paper towels.

Step 7

• To prepare the lobsters for the table, twist off each large claw, leaving the claw joints intact (there's a lot of meat in the joints). Crack the claw shell with a nutcracker or mallet.

Step 8

• Hold the body of the cooked lobster with a clean kitchen towel (it should still be hot) and twist off the tails with your hands. Remove the tail meat by separating and removing the tail shell with your fingers.

F. Grilled Lobster Recipes

• Tired of cooking the same old burgers, hot dogs and chicken on the barbecue? Grilled lobster is a treat! If you are searching for a grilled lobster recipe, here are the basics of how to grill lobsters. Lobsters cooked on the grill have a wonderful smoky flavor, and they are easier to eat than traditional boiled whole lobsters.

Time Required: 30 minutes

Here's How:

• Select live lobsters that weigh between 1-1/2 and 2 pounds.

• In a large pot, bring about two gallons of water to a boil. Parboil two lobsters at a time in a covered pot for five to seven minutes.

• Remove lobsters from the cooking pot, turn them upside down on a cutting board, and slice them in half lengthwise from the tail to the top of the head. Use a sharp knife to split the claws only on the side that will be turned up on the grill.

• Place each half lobster, shell side down, on a grill that has been pre-heated to medium temperature.

• Baste the exposed lobster meat with melted butter or oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. For added flavor, use seasoned oils, or add garlic, herbs and spices or lemon or lime juice to the butter.

• Cover lobsters with a metal pie plate or a shallow roasting pan to ensure quick and even cooking. Remove the cover periodically to baste the lobsters and to check cooking progress.

• Grill lobsters for about 10 minutes. Be sure to check the meat at the thickest part of the tail in order to determine that lobsters are completely cooked. When the meat is white and opaque, your grilled lobsters are ready to eat.

• Serve grilled lobster with melted drawn butter and a slice of lemon.

Tips:

• See a photo of each step in the lobster grilling process with my step-by-step visual guide.

• Lobsters should be cooked on the day they are purchased. Store live lobsters in your refrigerator until you are ready to begin the cooking process.

• Split lobsters take up quite a lot of room on the grill, so the larger the grilling space, the more lobsters you can cook at a time.

• You can use just about any kind of grill to cook lobsters, including gas and charcoal grills. Try using wood charcoal for the flavor it imparts. I wouldn't recommend you try grilling lobsters on a George Foreman or other electric grill, though.

What You Need:

• Lobsters

• Lobster Pot

• Grill

•  Butter or Oil

• Salt and Pepper

• Lemon

• Tongs

G. Cooking Lobster

• Fine seafood restaurants are not the only place to have delicious lobster. You can cook lobster very easily in your own home. There are several ways to cook lobster--steaming, broiling and baking--but the simplest way to cook lobster is by boiling. Whether you are planning a meal for that special someone or cooking up several lobsters for a large crowd, boiling lobster is a great option.

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Lobster cracker

• Salt

• Water

•  Large pot

• Cooking tongs

• Lobster

• Butter

Step 1

• Purchase several large lobsters from your local grocery store or seafood market. Cooking lobster live may seem cruel, but it is the only way to make sure the lobster meat is fresh and tender. Know the weight of the lobster you are purchasing so that you can adjust cooking times appropriately.

Step 2

• Fill a large pot three-quarters of the way full with water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water. Make sure that the pot is big enough to cover the lobsters completely. Heat on high until the water comes to a rolling boil.

Step 3

• Put the lobsters into the boiling water, claws first. Many people are squeamish and do not like this part of cooking lobster.

Step 4

• Start timing when the water returns to a rolling boil. For 1 pound of lobster, cook 5 minutes. For each additional 1/2 pound, boil an additional 3 minutes.

Step 5

• Turn off the heat and remove the lobster from the water using kitchen tongs. Serve the lobster shortly after it finishes cooking, or the meat will get tough. Crack the lobster and remove the meat. Dip in melted butter and eat.

Tips And Warnings

• At large functions, serve 1 1/2 pounds of lobster per person.

• Do not overcrowd lobsters in the pot. It is recommended to cook only four lobsters at a time unless you have commercial-sized cooking pots.

H. Spiny Lobster Recipies

• Let's get this over with at the start: Spiny lobsters are not the same thing as a New England or European homard lobster. Biologically, they are only distant cousins, and in the kitchen, spiny lobsters are a bit tougher and are not as rich-tasting as a Maine lobster.

• But that doesn't mean spiny lobsters are not delicious delicacies all their own. They are a rare treat in California, gathered in traps or by hand by divers and sold live in tanks. This makes the U.S. spiny lobster fishery a "best choice" if you are eager to eat only sustainable seafood.

• The same can be said for lobsters taken in Baja, Mexico and Australia.

• Sadly, spiny lobster stocks in the Caribbean are being overfished, so avoid them if you can.

• From an eating standpoint, most of the meat in a spiny lobster is in its tail. Unlike New England lobsters, spinies lack claws, which is too bad because I like the claw meat in a Maine lobster best of all.

• Spiny lobsters go a long way toward making up for this by housing an enormous amount of meat in their bodies -- there's an especially yummy chunk at the base of each antenna. Spiny lobsters, pound for pound, have more meat in their bodies than New England lobsters do. That means you will do well to buy whole, live spiny lobsters if you can find them.

• Spiny lobster tails are traditionally grilled, basted with butter. They are also excellent steamed and roasted. Be sure to get the thin little strips of meat from the tail flippers!

• If you get the whole lobster, make lobster stock out of the body and legs -- once you've picked the body meat out.

• When doing that, know that pretty much everything inside the body is edible except for the lungs, which are grayish and feathery and attached to the flanks of the critter, the sand sac between the eyes, and anything tube-like or crunchy. You can eat the tomalley, but if you do don't make a habit of it -- it's like a liver, and is where the lobster stores toxins. The coral or roe is excellent.

• What do you do with the body meat? Lobster Thermidor springs to mind, as does lobster salad or lobster sauce for pasta. The possibilities are endless.

• When buying a spiny lobster, look for a lively one. Never buy a dead lobster that has not been frozen! Enzymes in the lobster rot the meat very quickly. When buying frozen tails, look for ones that have been vacuum-sealed: They will last up to a year that way.