Lobster – a delicacy that divides the room - video Dailymotion

DW (English)

What makes this sea creature so special? And why is eating it controversial? We visited Cornwall, where lobster is a feature of daily life.

Transcript

00:01It's the very definition of luxury on a plate.

00:04What makes lobster so special, apart from its price?

00:07And why is it controversial?

00:09Whatever it is, lobster is not just an everyday dish

00:12but rather something for special occasions.

00:17Anyone that eats lobster should be happy and full of joy.

00:21But it's a great thing to eat and it is expensive

00:25but it's definitely something people should try.

00:30Not only does he know everything about cooking lobster,

00:33he knows it right down to the last claw.

00:35Rick Tugud, head chef in Cornwall, England.

00:39In his restaurant Prawn on the Lawn, in the fishing town of Padstow,

00:43the shellfish is served up fresh off the boat.

00:46Rick will show us exactly how later.

00:49First the chef fetches his freshly caught lobster from the harbour 300 metres away.

00:54Cornwall is one of the most important regions for lobster fishing in Europe

00:58where around 250 tonnes are caught every year.

01:01The rocky coast is an ideal habitat for the species.

01:05Johnny Mert fishes directly off the coast.

01:07By the way, living lobsters are not red.

01:11European ones are bluish

01:13while the slightly larger American ones are more brown.

01:16As predators and scavengers, they live on the seabed

01:20and play an important role in the ecosystem.

01:23But the populations of European lobster are declining.

01:26That is why there are strict regulations for fishermen in the EU and the UK.

01:30A lobster is measured and it's 90 millimetres in Cornwall, so that's 90 millimetres.

01:35So from the eye socket to the back of the carapace.

01:38Anything smaller has got to go back over the side.

01:41Here, a kilo of lobster costs up to 100 euros.

01:46But lobster has not always been considered a delicacy.

01:49In the 18th century, it was prison food in the US.

01:52Lobsters are often cooked alive, and that's controversial,

01:57with some countries banning the practice.

02:00Studies show that the animal has a complex nervous system,

02:03but it is unclear whether they feel pain.

02:05Nevertheless, many chefs use more humane methods.

02:09So, if you were at home and you were just cooking one,

02:12then you would put it in the freezer for half an hour

02:15and it almost completely numbs the lobster.

02:19But obviously, in the restaurant environment

02:21where we're maybe doing 20 to 30 per day,

02:24we simply just put the knife through the top of the head.

02:29Timing is crucial for cooking.

02:31A few minutes too long and the meat will be as chewy as rubber.

02:34The colour will change from that nice,

02:38blue colour through to like a classic colour of a lobster,

02:42that pinky red colour.

02:44So, we're going to take the lobster out.

02:47You can see the colour has changed now.

02:55And we're just going to cover the lobster with ice.

02:59And we're going to do it in the restaurant.

03:00So, we split the lobster straight down the middle.

03:09His take on the Cornish classic is served with an Asian-inspired butter

03:14with crispy chilli oil and spring onions.

03:23Nice and generous.

03:26So, the lobster is just going to go in the oven for about 10 minutes.

03:32Wow, that looks amazing.

03:37There we go.

03:39All the butter is melted.

03:43Flavours have all come together.

03:46We're quite happy with simple flavoured butter over the lobster

03:51or in a nice salad.

03:53And let the lobster kind of speak for itself.

04:01Very few places actually serve lobster.

04:04So, it's become this premium thing that you have on a special occasion.

04:10Perhaps the luxury of lobster comes down to really consciously savouring it.

04:16What about you?

04:17Would you try this delicacy?

04:23What about you?

04:26What's the Often- 어떤

Lobster – a delicacy that divides the room

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