Lobster from the Ampurdán (Empordà)
Llagosta a l'Ampurdán (Empordà)
Region: Spain, Catalonia
Category: Antipasto, Meze, Tapas, and Hors d'Oeuvres
Season: Any
Difficulty: Labor Intensive

Although there is no mention of lobster in Don Quixote, we know that these crustaceans were relatively abundant in the seventeenth century off the Costa Brava, around the island of Menorca, and about the Côte Vermeille of French Roussillon, and found in markets as far north as Montpellier in Languedoc in France. It's possible that they were not expensive.

This extraordinary preparation may have some connection to the recipe called formatgades in the anonymous Catalan cookery book of Libre de sent soví from 1324 where lobster is boiled in a casserole with a mixture of small fish, crushed almonds, and pine nuts, and spiced with saffron and ginger. The llagosta (lobster) used in this Catalan dish from the Ampurdán, the coastal plain south and east of Figueres, is the spiny lobster, which lacks the distinctive claws of the North American lobster. This preparation combines the lobster with snails and is served with a very rich nut sauce. Snails are quite popular in Catalonia and are given to a proverb: Al juliol ni dona ni cargol (In July, neither women nor snail), reminding me of a Sicilian proverb (Sicilians also love snails), Babbaluci a sucari e donni a vasari 'un ponnu mai saziari (Snails to suck out and women to kiss, that's all one needs to be satisfied). Some people make this dish with chicken instead of snails or shrimp instead of lobster. In any case, these kinds of preparations are called mar i muntanya (sea and mountain) or mar i cel (sea and heaven), or what we Americans call "surf 'n' turf."

This recipe was given to me by Éliane Thibaut-Comelade, an authority on Catalan food who lives outside Perpignan in French Catalonia. A Catalonian cookbook from about 1930 describes this dish as being made with chocolate in the nut sauce, a New World addition. Although all the various recipes I consulted seem to indicate that the yield is for two to four people, I found the preparation so rich that six people could be fed or it could be served as a tapas.

The nuts can be ground together. In step 4, removing the meat from the lobsters can take up to 15 minutes, so don't forget to factor in that time when planning the rest of the meal planning.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation Time: 1:30 hours

3 large garlic cloves, peeled       Pinch of freshly powdered saffron (see Note 2 below)     2 ounces whole blanched almonds, ground very finely in a food processor (about 1/ 3 cup after grinding)     2 ounces whole blanched hazelnuts, ground very finely in a food processor (about 1/ 3 cup after grinding)     8 to 9 slices French or Italian bread fried in olive oil     1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves       Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste     2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil     2 medium-size onions, finely chopped

Two 1 1/2-pound live lobsters, cut up (see Note 1 below)     2 cups dry white wine     1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped     1 teaspoon paprika     1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon     1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg     5 dried red chiles       Bouquet garni, tied in cheesecloth, consisting of 6 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 10 sprigs fresh parsley     20 to 24 canned or fresh snails, drained and washed (if using fresh snails see Note 3 below)

1. In a mortar pound the garlic, saffron, ground almonds and hazelnuts, 1 slice of crostini with its crust removed, the parsley, salt, and pepper together into a very smooth paste. Do this in batches if your mortar is not large enough. You can also do it in a food processor, but with a less homogenous result. You should have 2 cups. Set aside.

2. In a large, high-sided skillet or enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil, then cook the onions over medium heat until translucent, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Place the cut-up lobsters in their shells in the skillet with the onions and cook over a medium heat until the onions are soft, about another 6 minutes, stirring. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the snails, and cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the sauce is denser, about 30 minutes. Remove the lobster pieces to a platter. Correct the seasoning if necessary. Add the snails to the sauce, cover, and turn off the heat. When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, remove all the meat, discarding the shells.

4. Carefully stir the nut-and-garlic paste into the sauce over very low heat a little at a time until fully absorbed and cook for 20 minutes. Add the lobster meat and cook another 10 minutes. Remove and discard the red chili peppers. Serve immediately with the fried bread.

Note:  Note 1: This dish must be made with live lobsters because the natural water in the lobster, as well as the coral and tomalley, contribute to the unique taste. The best way to kill a live lobster is to hold the body leg side down with a kitchen towel. Drive a chef's knife into the shell behind the eyes and twist. Chop off the claws with a cleaver and crack them open slightly. Cut up the arms and remove the legs. Break the legs in two or three. Separate the tail from the body (be careful-strong muscle spasms might make the tail flip back with some force). Remove the meat from flippers at the end of tail.

Note 2: If you only have saffron threads, take a pinch (about 50 threads) and place them on a tray to toast lightly in a toaster oven for a minute. Remove and powder with a pestle in a mortar.

Note 3: If you are using fresh snails, place them in cold water and vinegar to cover until the water remains clear after 1 hour, changing the water whenever it becomes soiled. This process could take up to 3 days.

Posted: 01/11/2007