Lobster Caldereta

A succulent lobster stew, with tender female lobster and finely chopped onions, all cooked over low heat for a smooth texture and an intense taste of the sea.
main dish
seafood
stew
traditional
Ingredients
Servings
4
Measurement units

Ingredients

  • 1700 grslobster, preferably female (about 400–450 g/person)
  • 2 medium onions (very finely diced)
  • 1 small green pepper (very finely diced)
  • 8 medium ripe tomatoes (peeled, seeded, finely diced)
  • 4 sliced garlic cloves
  • 3 baguette slices, for the picada
  • a little sugar to caramelise the onion and take the acidity off the tomato
  • 2 cloves (optional)
  • 1/4 grated nutmeg (optional)
  • 3 gotswater per person

For the picada

  • 6 toasted almonds
  • 1–2 garlic cloves
  • 1 copacognac or calvados
  • the liver, coral and soft head parts of the lobsters
  • salt
  • saffron to taste
  • parsley to taste, without overdoing it
  • 2 egg yolks

For the next day

  • 3 llesquestoasted bread per person (the thinnest possible bar)
  • a little fresh parsley
Nutritional Information

Per serving

Calculated for 4 servings

Calories
765 kcal
Protein
97.4 g
Fat
11.6 g
Carbohydrates
48.3 g

Calculated from reviewed ingredient weights and pinned USDA FoodData Central records.

Step-by-step Guide

Scheduled Tasks

  1. Dispatch the lobster by making a deep incision in the head with a large knife and then separate the head from the tail. This operation is done on a chopping board, but place a plate beside it to collect the juices that come out from inside the head. Keep in mind that this juice will turn black and become gelatinous.
  2. Once the head and tail are separated, cut the head lengthwise into two halves. Reserve the liver, which is the brown part, and the red corral, which are the eggs. Combine these components with the initial juice that came out when cutting the head.
  3. Cover the plate with plastic wrap, ensuring the wrap touches the contents to prevent oxidation, and store it in the refrigerator until the ingredients are needed for the sauce. Note that near the lobster’s mouth there is a sack, the stomach, which tastes bad and should be discarded. Do not include the gills either, which are the fibrous lateral areas.
  4. To remove the intestine from the tail (the black cord that often contains sand), first cut the tail along each of the rings and then carefully remove it with your fingers or push it out with a wooden skewer. It's important not to remove the shells as both the tail pieces and the head halves will be cooked in their shells when the time comes.

Preparation

  1. Wash the pepper, slice it into thin strips, and then chop it into very small pieces.
  2. Peel the onions and chop them into very small pieces, ensuring they are finely minced.
  3. Blanch the tomatoes for about 30 seconds in boiling water. Once done, remove the skin and seeds, and dice them into very small cubes.
  4. Peel the garlic and slice it into thin slices.
  5. Lightly season the lobster tail pieces with salt and pepper to your taste.
  6. In a pan with hot oil, lightly sauté the lobster pieces for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove them from the pan and set aside for later use.
  7. In the same oil, fry 2 or 3 thin slices of bread, preferably from a baguette. When they are golden, remove them and set aside for the sauce.
  8. Begin the sofrito on low heat. First, add the onion, pepper, and sliced garlic, cooking them until the onion becomes translucent, approximately 10-12 minutes.
  9. Add the diced tomatoes and let them cook until they change color, between 30 and 45 minutes. Midway through cooking, add a tablespoon of sugar to reduce the acidity of the tomatoes.
  10. Towards the end of the sofrito cooking, add a glass of white wine and let it cook a few more minutes to evaporate the alcohol, about 5 minutes.
  11. Remove the sofrito from the pan, blend it with an immersion blender until smooth, and return it to the pan.
  12. Place the halved lobster heads and the lobster tail pieces in the pot. Add 3 glasses of cold mineral water per person, or if you prefer, a combination of half water and half seafood or fish stock.
  13. Allow everything to cook over low heat with the pot covered until the water starts to boil. If you do not have a lid that fits the pot, cover it with two layers of aluminum foil. Note: Some people let it boil for 30 minutes, but to prevent the lobster from becoming overcooked, it's better to continue with the picada as soon as it starts to boil.

Meanwhile, we'll make the picada

  1. Make a picada in the mortar with the fried bread from the beginning, one or two garlic cloves, the toasted almonds, a pinch of salt, parsley, saffron, cloves (optional), and a quarter of a grated nutmeg (optional). Crush all the ingredients until you obtain a homogeneous paste, about 5 minutes.
  2. Once well ground, add the glass of cognac or calvados. Stir well until the ingredients are well integrated, about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Next, incorporate the juices, the liver (the brown part), and the coral (the red part) from the lobster heads. Stir well to fully integrate all the flavors, for about 3 minutes.
  4. Add the two egg yolks and stir well until the mixture is uniform, about 2 minutes.
  5. Blend the entire mixture with a hand blender until you achieve a very smooth texture, about 2-3 minutes.

Let's Continue with the Casserole

  1. When it starts to boil, add the mixture, ensuring it is well distributed throughout the pot.
  2. Cover the pot again and let it simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, ensuring the heat is constant to maintain a gentle simmer.
  3. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool covered at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes.
  4. Once it has completely cooled, place the casserole in the refrigerator until the next day, as the dish gains much more flavor if left to rest for about 24 hours.

At the Time of Serving

  1. Toast 3 slices of bread per person. Ask the bakery to slice the bread as thinly as possible so they are crisper. Toast them at a medium temperature of 200 °C for about 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.
  2. Allow the slices of bread to cool on a rack to prevent them from becoming soggy. This will allow air to circulate on both sides of the bread as it cools.
  3. Finely chop some fresh parsley with a sharp knife until you obtain small pieces. Wash it beforehand and dry it carefully.
  4. Heat the stew on LOW Heat for about 5-10 minutes, ensuring it does not come to a boil. At the end, sprinkle a bit of fresh chopped parsley on top to add aroma to the dish.
  5. Place 2 slices of toasted bread on each plate and fill it with the freshly heated broth and a piece of lobster. Ensure that each plate has a sufficient amount of broth.
  6. Leave a small plate with the remaining toasted bread on the table for anyone who wants seconds, thereby ensuring that everyone can enjoy the stew to their satisfaction.
Recommendations & Tricks
  • Recipe from Xavi Portolés’s father, a cook in Menorca.
  • The lobsters should be live, preferably female (eggs / red coral).
  • Make it the day before and rest 24 hours in the fridge.
  • Ask the bakery to slice the baguette as thinly as possible.
  • Do not remove the shells: tail and heads cook in the shell.
  • Do not boil for 30 minutes: the lobster overcooks. Only until it comes to a boil, then add the picada.
Original recipe
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    Lobster Caldereta | The Catalan Table