Lobster in Tomato Sauce

“Lobster killer, qu’est-ce que c’est?” You know the moment when the lobster thrashes upon being plunged into the boiling water and knocks the lid to the floor? It’s just a movie, but if the thought of killing a live lobster has you questioning whether this dish is really worth it or not, trust us, it is. If you’ve never dealt with a living lobster before, take it as a learning experience and trust in yourself that you can do it. You can, you really can put a restaurant-worthy meal on the table in less than 40 minutes, and it will taste amazing. It may take some practice to get the technique right, but that’s a great thing, it means more lobster!

To gain confidence in cooking with lobster, ask a friend with more experience to guide you through the process of dismembering a crustacean in a humane way. There are also plenty of videos to show you how-to. Did you know that lobster wasn’t always the expensive food that it is today? It was so plentiful at one point in history, that it was fed to servants and prisoners, and reserved as food fed to cats. Cultural influences have certainly challenged and changed all of that, for the better, so enjoy it while it lasts.

Even if that means diving into a lobster salad with taro chips or a surprising lobster and mango salad.

Lobster In Tomato Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 live lobsters
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 to 4 very ripe tomatoes
• 1 cup fish stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 tbsp. ghee, melted
• 3 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Allow the lobsters to sit in the freezer for at least an hour prior to preparing the dish.
2. Blanch the tomatoes by placing them in a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove from pot and immediately place in cold water. Peel away the skin and remove the tomato core. Roughly chop the tomatoes.
3. Remove the lobster heads and claws. Discard the head.
4. In a dutch oven over medium heat, cook the lobster (claws and tails) in the olive oil. Cook until the lobster turns pink. Cooking time depends on the size of each lobster.
5. Remove lobster and allow to cool. Remove all the meat from the claws and discard the shells.
6. Sauté the onions and garlic in the dutch oven until onions turn golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Add the carrot and celery; cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.
8. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, wine, and season to taste; cook until the sauce comes to a boil, adjusting heat to medium-high if needed.
9. Reduce heat to a simmer, and allow the sauce to cook until it thickens.
10. Add lobster and claws to the pot and cook about 10 minutes, stirring the sauce occasionally.
11. Finish with ghee and parsley over lobster and sauce.
12. Divide tomato sauce between plates and serve with a lobster tail on top.