CRUSTACEANS

Lobsters

You can't beat the wow factor when serving a whole cooked lobster to the customer's table. Native Lobsters are from coastal water around the UK and are often considered the best, but are usually all sold locally or exported. Canadian and American Lobsters are caught off the East Coast of Canadian and American and down as far as Maine, and provide a readily available year round alternative. There is much debate as to the most humane method for cooking live lobsters. The RSPCA recommend you first place them in a freezer for two hours, which renders them unconscious. Then before boiling, drive a sharp pointed knife through the cross on the head (death is instantaneous). This prevents the meat becoming tougher. You can then plunge them into heavily salted (40g per litre) boiling water and simmer for 15 minutes for 500g adding 2 minutes per additional 100g. Alternatively you can halve the lobster and grill, or remove the claws and body meat and steam or stir-fry.

Slipper Lobsters (Moreton Bay Bugs)

Unusual looking and bearing little resemblance to what we recognise as a Lobster, Slipper Lobsters - or Bugs as they are known in Australia - don't have claws so all the meat is in the tail. Despite their higher kg price when whole, when you compare they yield with a traditional Lobster, Slipper can be better value, though not as readily available and normally sold frozen.

Crayfish

This freshwater crustacean looks like a small Lobster - averaging 10cm/55g. The tail meat is succulent with a Prawn-like texture and a lovely sweet taste. European wild Crayfish are almost extinct, but other species are successfully farmed around the world. Whole Crayfish are available frozen though harder to get fresh, and can be cooked like a lobster. Fresh tail meat preserved in brine is readily available and is ideal for salads, pasta and any prawn dishes. Not to be confused with Crawfish.

Crawfish

A seawater species sometimes called Spiny or Rock Lobster and regularly confused with Crayfish, Crawfish can grow larger than Lobsters. They have a Lobster's shape but no large claws, and only the tail meat is eaten. Found in most European waters, but most UK catch is exported to be continent. Very popular in Australia, use as per Lobsters.

Langoustines

As nice as a basket of scampi and chips can be on occasion, it is not the best use of this superb specie. Also known as Dublin Bay Prawns, Nephrops and Norwegian Lobster, Langoustines vaguely resemble a large king prawn , but are actually a closer relation of the Lobster, growing up to 250g. They are great roasted in the oven and served whole with lemon and mayonaise or split in half, coated in butter and herbs and grilled. The tail meat has a sweet taste and a prawn-like texture.

Brown Crabs

Cocks (males) contain more while meat than Hens (females) and are preferred by Chefs. To identify them, Cocks have larger claws and their tail flap is narrower and more pointed. Cocks range in size from 1-2kg, with an approximate 35% yield, and more white meat than brown. There are other Crabs to look out for such as the Spider Crab, Snow Crab and Blue Crab, which all have similiar tasting meat. Also available is the Blue Swimming Crab, found around the Pacific Rim. Whole Frozen Blue Swimmers are imported, but the main demand is for the 454g tubs containing large lumps of succulent meat, which is pasteurised and chilled, giving it a 6 month shelf life. It is superb for crab cakes, chowders, salads and pasta. Before cooking live Crabs, the RSPCA recommend you first place them in a freezer for two hours, which renders them unconscious. Another method is to insert a pointed rod (kebab skewer) just above the mouth and push to the back of the shell death is instantaneous. You can then plunge them into heavily salted (40g per litre) boiling water and simmer for 15 minutes for 500g, adding 2 minutes per additional 100g. The remove and allow to cool. Alternatively the claws and body meat can be removed and steamed or stir-fried.

Prawns & King Prawns

A large proportion of the 'fresh' prawns you will find in the marketplace are actually defrosted frozen prawns. We can get genuine fresh Prawns if that is what you require, but recommed you look at our huge range of frozen Prawns and King Prawns which meet every possible need-from small, succulent cooked and peeled North Atlantic Prawns to giant, meaty U10 (under 10 per kg/100g+) raw whole Black Tigers. Freezing at source locks in the freshness, and give you better choice, availability, convenience, quality and value.