John Hathaway

The pescaderia (fish market) in Vieques can be rather hit or miss. They’re open on random days for somewhat random hours: whenever the fishermen get back (usually 11ish) until they have everything processed and feel like leaving (early afternoon). And what they have to sell can vary widely as well.

Chris went in to Isabel II to the post office yesterday and decided to pop over to the pescaderia on the way home. He got there just as they were bringing in a bunch of lobster and conch. He passed on the conch (we like it, but haven’t braved cooking it ourselves yet) but bought the smallest 2 lobsters (totaling 3 pounds at $8 per pound).

Caribbean spiny lobster (http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=155) are a bit different from their Maine cousins. They don’t have any claws, but are larger and have more meat through the body and head. They are quite spiny, with hard short spines all over their shell.  The meat is not quite as sweet as a Maine lobster, but is quite rich and particularly delicious when grilled. They can get up to a couple pounds, but I think the smaller ones are more tender.

We’ve grilled lobsters at home a couple times with great results. Here’s our technique:

1.       Steam the lobsters for about 12 minutes. (Steam, not boil. The lobsters should not be in the water. We just put a strainer upside down in a large pot.)

2.       The lobsters should be bright red and fully cooked.  We let the lobsters cool during cocktail hour at this point so that they’re easier to handle for the next step.

3.       Cut each lobster in half lengthwise. I think  it’s easiest to make a first pass to get through the back of the shell, then a second pass to cut completely.

4.       The lobsters will be full of bright orange and muddy green stuff. Remove all of that and rinse them out. Nothing should be left inside that isn’t white.

5.       Melt some butter. I use a half stick per person, which may sound like a lot, but we always wish for a bit more by the end. I like to let the butter just barely start to brown and then toss in a couple splashes of aged dark rum and a squeeze of lemon. (Aged rum turns dark from 5+ years in charred oak barrels. We like Barrilito, but it’s not available outside PR. Cheap “dark rum” is white rum with caramel color. Don’t be fooled.)

6.       Brush the lobsters with a bit of the butter sauce.

7.       Put the lobsters on the hot grill meat side down. Grill on medium heat for about 4 minutes.

8.       Serve with the rum butter sauce on the side.

Yummm!!! The slightly smoky taste from the grill and the deep flavors of the aged rum really complement the sweetness of the lobster. It makes for a  more complex, richer flavor than steamed Maine lobster. Since most of the meat is in the body and there’s no claws to crack, Caribbean lobster are also easier to eat.

The only downside for many of you is that Caribbean lobster are not very available most places outside the Caribbean and Florida. I guess you’ll just have to come down this way for a visit!