Something Fishy with Simon Rhodes of the  Lobster Pot Fishmongers, Wood Street Food Hall, Swindon

WELL, this weekend is Valentine’s Day and no doubt there will be a few of us sweating at the 11th hour as to what to give our loved ones.

Well how about a fantastic night in with a special dinner, superb wine and some romantic music? Dim the lights and light a few candles and really go to town on a great meal.

How about a seafood meze? I once did this for my wife’s birthday and it went down a storm.

I did a number of little courses, a bit like tapas, including scallops with a pea puree, salt and pepper squid, prawn risotto, a pan fried fillet of sea bream, and mussels cooked in cider.

Although there were many dishes it was reasonably easy to prepare and very effective.

Lobster is also a firm favourite at Valentine’s and prepared in the right way it can be a resounding success.

Lobsters are invertebrates; they can live for up to 70 years.

Lobsters must moult to grow, which leaves them vulnerable.

During this moulting process, several species change colour.

Lobsters have 10 walking legs; the front three pairs bear claws, the first of which are larger than the others.

Lobsters are found in all oceans. They live on rocky, sandy, or muddy bottoms and typically eat live prey such as fish, molluscs, other crustaceans, worms, and some plant life.

We sell lobsters live or, if you prefer, cooked, halved and fully prepared for a simple dish of ‘grilled lobster with butter verde’.

To make the butter verde combine some butter, fresh coriander, lime juice, ginger, garlic, chilli, salt and pepper in a blender and then roll out the butter into a cylinder and refrigerate.

Remove all the cooked lobster meat from the tail and claws, dice and place back in the tail.

Then cut the butter and place on top of the lobster meat and place in a hot oven or under a grill so that the butter melts and creates a lovely mouth-watering covering over the lobster.

Serve with a simple green salad and sauté potatoes.

If this recipe tempts you why not pop in or give me a call and order your lobster for the weekend?