East Neuk Lobster with Butter
Fresh Scottish lobster split and grilled until tender, basted with rich melted butter, lemon, and fresh herbs. A Fife coastal delicacy.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Equipment
- •Chef's knife
- •Heavy baking tray
- •Small saucepan
- •Pastry brush
- •Chopping board
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- fat
- 28 g
- carbs
- 2 g
- fibre
- 0 g
- protein
- 32 g
- calories
- 380 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your grill to high heat and line a baking tray with foil.
- 2
Place each lobster flat on a cutting board with the shell facing upwards.
- 3
Press the tip of a heavy knife firmly through the head and slice downwards through the tail.
- 4
Turn the lobster round and finish cutting through the head to separate both halves completely.
- 5
Discard the small stomach sac behind the eyes and the dark intestinal vein running down the tail.
- 6
Crack the large claws gently using the back of your chef's knife.
- 7
Melt the butter with the garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a pan over low heat.
- 8
Stir the chopped parsley, tarragon, sea salt, and black pepper into the melted butter.
- 9
Arrange the lobster halves cut-side up on the tray and brush generously with herb butter.
- 10
Grill under high heat for 6 to 8 minutes until the flesh is opaque and butter bubbles.
- 11
Drizzle the remaining warm butter over the cooked lobster and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Chef's tips
Gently crack the claws before grilling so heat penetrates the thick shell evenly. Keep a close eye on the grill to ensure the delicate lobster meat stays tender and succulent.
Ingredient substitutions
- whole raw native lobster → cooked whole lobster (grill for just 3 to 4 minutes to warm through) or large Scottish langoustines
- salted Scottish butter → dairy-free plant butter or cold-pressed rapeseed oil
Storage
Store any leftover picked lobster meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day.
Reheating
Gently warm picked lobster meat in a frying pan with a knob of melted butter over low heat.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overcooking the lobster under the intense grill, resulting in tough and dry meat.
- •Failing to crack the claw shells, leaving claw meat raw while tails overcook.
- •Leaving the gritty stomach sac inside the head section before grilling.
Serving suggestions
Cooked East Neuk Lobster with Butter?
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