For the last week and a half, I have woken up to the sounds of fishing boats chugging around just off the beach. The fisherman are working hard hauling up traps from the deep cold waters and sending new baits in traps back down to the depths of Chance Harbour. It is lobster season here on the North Shore of Nova Scotia, and I am in heaven! There are fresh local lobsters everywhere, and the most prized Lismore lobsters are just a short drive from home. The waters are nice and cold so the lobsters are hard shelled, full and sweet this year! We have already had a traditional lobster feed this season for Gayle’s birthday out at the camp. It was a gluttonously delicious meal of fresh steamed lobsters, potato salad, coleslaw, and soft dinner rolls, with vinegar and lots of melted butter for dipping. Gayle and Kirsten also make a Catalina butter; 1 part melted butter to 1 part Catalina salad dressing, for dipping in, which was surprisingly tasty with the sweet lobster meat! After cracking all the claws and tails for everyone, I already had lobster juices from head to waist, so I wasn’t concerned about getting messy tucking into 2 fresh lobsters! Doesn’t everyone get a little messy eating lobster? They should! It is one of those occasions where the eating method is just as primitive as the lobsters look! Sleeves rolled, bib tied tight, newspaper on the table and hands on, with lobster and melted butter everywhere. I am drooling right now just writing about it. So when I was in Sobeys earlier today, and noticed that lobsters were still on sale I had to buy a couple for dinner tonight. However, since we’ve had a traditional feed and I plan to go swimming laps with the masters team tonight, I think this lobster meal will be a little lighter. I am thinking lobster, chorizo and new potato skewers with some pineapple and fresh chives from the garden. If that isn’t already sounding good enough, I am going to use some Citrus Rosemary Seasoned Skewers and cook them on the BBQ. On a seasoned skewer note, I have good news! They will soon be available in Sobeys stores here in Atlantic Canada, keep your eyes open for them!
I had Darryl in the seafood department at Sobeys steam my lobster ahead of time for me, but cooking them at home is easy too. The best way to cook a lobster is a much disputed subject; I have always preferred cooking mine in a court bouillon at a rolling boil, either on the stove top of using a propane lobster cooker outside. You may hear all kinds of different numbers when it comes to cooking times, but I have always stuck strong to 8 minutes per pound, and that is not total weight, it is for each lobster. So if I am cooking one or ten 1 lb lobsters, the cooking time is still eight minutes! Then either eat them right away, or give them a good ice bath to stop the cooking. That way it won’t be overdone when you eat them cold or use them in salad, pasta or sandwiches etc.
Every year the fishermen bring in some freakishly large lobsters, a shame really. We keep them in our lobster tanks as a display and later release them. In my opinion any lobster that is close to 20 lbs and over 100 years old definitely isn’t worth eating and serves a better purpose making more yummy lobsters for future fishing seasons back in the cold ocean waters! A great eating lobster is usually around 1 ½ lbs, but I find the flesh stays sweet and tender even in lobsters close to 2 lbs. People seem to think the females taste even sweeter than their male counterparts, but I have never tasted a fresh local 1 ½ lb lobster I didn’t like, male or female!
I am spoiled. I can walk over to the wharf and buy lobsters that were caught literally 150 ft off the same beach I walk daily with my kids, for the next 5 weeks. So, I recommend once you see the fresh Nova Scotia lobsters in the seafood departments of your Sobeys stores, buy some and eat them any way you like! Or try out my recipe for grilled lobster, chorizo and baby potato skewers!
Happy Cooking!
Chef Ryan Skelton
Lobster, Chorizo and New Potato Skewers
Makes 10 Skewers (serves 5)
1 package of 10 wooden skewers, soaked in cold water
2 steamed lobsters, 1 ¾ - 2lbs each
1 ½ lbs baby new potatoes
1 dry cured chorizo sausage, sliced into 1” thick circles
½ fresh ripe pineapple, finely diced
½ red pepper, finely diced
¼ red onion, finely diced
½ cup fresh chives, thinly sliced
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tbsp white wine vinegar
Sea salt and pepper as needed
- Pre-heat your BBQ to medium heat. Steam or boil the baby potatoes just until fork tender, drain and run under cold water to stop cooking. Shell all the lobster meat, cut the tail into 1 ½” -2” thick pieces, carefully remove the cartilage from the claws keeping them whole.
- Skewer the steamed lobster, cooked potatoes and chorizo onto the wooden skewers alternating between the three. Lightly brush with melted butter and season with sea salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, prepare and combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Season, taste and adjust as needed. Cover and let the flavours mingle for a while.
- Grill the skewers for 2-3 minutes per side, until heated through and have that yummy smoky BBQ flavour!
- Serve the Lobster skewers and Pineapple Salsa with a side salad for a complete, light summer time meal!
