Lobster In Tomato Sauce( Astakos Plaki ) -

Lobster In Tomato Sauce
( Astakos Plaki )

Lobsters in Greece are the spiny lobsters of the Mediterranean or the Pacific, not the large clawed homard of the Atlantic. This dish is delicious with either, provided they are alive or only recently killed when you buy them. Crab can also be substituted.

Ingredients

2 live or recently dead lobsters, about 8oo g-1 kg (1 ¾ -2 lb) each
25 strands saffron, soaked in 50 ml (2 fl oz) hot water
100 g (4 oz) onion, finely chopped
1 medium-sized leek, washed and finely chopped
7-9 tablespoons fruity olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
500 g (1 lb) tomatoes, skinned, seeded and the flesh finely chopped
3-4 sun-dried tomatoes (in oil, or soaked in 125 ml [4 fl oz] boiling water), pounded to a paste, or 2 teaspoons tomato puree, with the water
125 ml (4 fl oz) white wine
50 ml (2 fl oz) orange juice
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper
25 g (1 oz) fresh fennel, finely chopped
25 g (1 oz) flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped

Details

Serves: 5

Method

If you have live lobsters, plunge them into a pan of boiling water for 1 minute, then into cold water. 1.To prepare the lobsters, break off the claws and crack them open with a hammer. Cut off the tip of the tail (with the fins), then sever the tail where it joins the head with a heavy knife. Cut the tail into rings, slicing through the shell between the ribs. 2.Split the head open lengthways with a hard blow of a knife and remove and discard the gritty stomach sac. Put the coral (if any) and the green matter (which is the liver) into a sieve over a howl, sprinkle with salt and pepper and reserve. Put the saffron to soak. 3.In a heavy-bottomed pan big enough to contain the lobsters and sauce, fry the onion and leek gently in 3 tablespoons olive oil until transparent. Add the garlic, chopped tomatoes, tomato soaking liquid and puree (or tomato paste), wine, orange juice and bay leaf. Season and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. 4.Add the fennel, parsley, mint, saffron and liquid and lobster tail pieces and claws with their shells (but not the legs) and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. 5.In the meantime push the coral and liver of the lobster through the sieve and beat the puree with 4-6 tablespoons olive oil. When the lobster has simmered 10 minutes, ladle out about 200 ml (7 fl oz) sauce and beat this into the coral puree. Pour this back into the pot, stir and simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve.

Related food category:

• Fish and Seafood