Langostinos a la Sal

The shells turn bright red under the heat, trapping moisture for firm, pearly meat. Pure iodine flavors are released upon opening, simply enhanced by a squeeze of lime.

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 10 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 285
• Protein: 44 g
• Carbs: 5 g
• Fat: 9 g

Ingredients

• 12 piece Norway lobster / Dublin Bay prawn ( whole and fresh )
• 1 kg Gray sea salt ( for the crust )
• 2 piece Citrus aurantiifolia (Christm.) Swingle. ( halved )
• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground optional

Instructions

1. Preparing the salt bed

   Preheat the oven to 220°C. In a large baking dish, pour the grey sea salt to a thickness of 2 centimeters. Flatten it with the palm of your hand.

2. Arranging the shellfish

   Arrange the whole langoustines on the salt. They must not overlap so the heat can circulate. Drizzle with a thin stream of extra virgin olive oil.

3. High heat cooking

   Place in the middle of the oven. Cook until the shells are bright red and the meat is opaque at the center, about 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Finishing and serving

   Remove the dish. Squeeze the lime juice directly over the piping hot shellfish. Add a turn of the black pepper mill and serve immediately.

Chef's tips

• Do not rinse the langoustines in fresh water, it kills the iodine flavor.
• The salt can be reused for another bake if it's not too soiled by juices.

Storage

Consume immediately after cooking. Shellfish do not tolerate being reheated in salt.