Author Notes
A few months back I was having a late lunch at Bar Pinxto in Santa Monica. Tiny place with an open kitchen, I was able to watch the chef do his dinner prep, and basically crucifying lobsters by trussing them to long wooden spoons. Vegans should now avert their eyes. The reason for doing this is that as they're cooked the tails are held straight. But as a humane cook I prefer to give Monsieur Homard a quick and fast demise. So, I turn him on his back and with a wicked, sharp knife make a fast cut between the eyes, all the way back. —pierino
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Ingredients
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1
live lobster per person
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1
small bunch of fresh thyme
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5-6
fresh lemons
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1/2 cup
extra virgin olive oil
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fleur de sel
Directions
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One day ahead: Juice the lemons. Decant the olive oil into a jar or cruet and whisk in lemon juice. Add a few branches of thyme and hold overnight
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Kill the lobster as kindly as you can and truss him or her to a long wooden spoon with at least three circles of kitchen string.
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In a large pot bring water to a boil. Meanwhile (don't you hate the 'meanwhile' step?) start a wood, charcoal grill going.
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Plunge Monsieur Homard into the boiling water. Hold him there for about three minutes. He won't be fully cooked.
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After that three minutes, untie him. Using a sharp, heavy Beaver Cleaver (preferably Chinese), split Mr. Lobster down the middle. Spoon out any green icky bits. The orange stuff is okay.
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Now that your fire is hot brush the lobster with your lemon/thyme infused oil. Cook until cooked. Finish with a pinch or so of fleur de sel. Eat with your hands if you like.
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Note to cook: this is primative cooking (so is my spelling). but if you use a gas grill you are a TOTAL weenie.
Standup commis flâneur, and food historian. Pierino's background is in Italian and Spanish cooking but of late he's focused on frozen desserts. He is now finishing his cookbook, MALAVIDA! Can it get worse? Yes, it can. Visit the Malavida Brass Knuckle cooking page at Facebook and your posts are welcome there.
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