Gill Meller A COOK’S YEAR
Lobster is a luxury ingredient but use it wisely, eking it out, and it doesn’t have to be quite such a pricey treat. River Cottage expert and resident columnist Gill Meller has made an art of knowing how to show off seasonal food at its best, and this magical meal for four is no exception
RECIPE, FOOD STYLING AND STYLING GILL MELLER PHOTOGRAPHS ANDREW MONTGOMERY
what’s good now.
“Lobsters are expensive but they’re not something we eat every day. A 1kg lobster might cost as much as £25-30, but the lobster may well be 25 years old. The least we can do is show some respect.
Each summer a few of my friends drop their lobster pots out in Lyme Bay. It gives them an excuse to paddle out from Monmouth Beach on their kayaks and check them every other day (the beach being by the pub). Sometimes their pots are empty but, if they’re lucky, there will be a few lobsters to take home – and every so often one comes my way.
It’s easy to buy cooked whole lobster (they’ll be an orangey red instead of the dark plum blue colour when alive) but a fresh lobster is a treat. The meat is sweet, succulent and delicate. To make the most of it, cook as soon possible and in the most humane way (see right). A single lobster won’t normally feed a family but this recipe makes it go further and uses all the flavour in the shell.