Mediterranean spiny lobster
Mediterranean spiny lobster has long antennae and a spiny shell. In aragosta alla catalana, its cooked meat meets thin white onion, firm ripe tomatoes and a lemon-and-olive-oil dressing.
- Species
- Palinurus elephas, the Mediterranean spiny lobster.
- Purchase form
- Whole and raw, with the shell included in the weight.
Prepare the meat before dressing
Ask the fishmonger to advise on handling and preparation of the whole raw lobster. Follow the recipe’s cooking method, then open the shell and remove the intestinal tract and unwanted material before cutting the meat into even pieces.
Slice the white onion thinly, drain it thoroughly after its water-and-vinegar soak and cut the tomatoes into firm pieces. Fold these through the lobster gently, so the meat stays in recognizable pieces rather than breaking into shreds.
Aragosta on the Alghero table
Aragosta alla catalana belongs to the cooking of Alghero in Sardinia. The lobster is cooked before its meat is dressed with onion, tomato, olive oil and lemon. This simple assembly leaves the seafood at the center of the plate. Aragosta is a spiny lobster, distinct from the large-clawed astice. For this preparation, start with the whole raw animal rather than a bag of precooked tail pieces. A whole shell-on weight includes parts that will not become portions of meat.
Let the dressing reach each piece
Use a broad dish that gives the lobster and vegetables room. Dress with the measured olive oil, lemon and salt, then turn the pieces gently. Serve with the onion and tomato distributed through the meat, so each portion has both seafood and fresh vegetables.
Cook with it
Ask for aragosta, with the species confirmed
Ask for Mediterranean spiny lobster, Palinurus elephas, and specify whole and raw. Confirm the species and purchase weight with the seller. The long antennae and absence of the large front claws of astice help distinguish the animal, but the seller’s species identification matters more than a loose English label such as lobster.
Keep the preparation cold
Follow the fishmonger’s directions for the raw lobster and arrange cooking around those directions. Keep cooked meat and the finished salad covered and refrigerated as directed by the recipe. Use clean tools when opening the shell and keep raw seafood separate from the vegetables ready for dressing.
