Langoustines with a Roast Garlic and Lemon Butter

I'm a biiiiig fearty when it comes to fish, well not all fish, just the super scary ones which resemble aliens rather than animals. Ones like these actually...

I like regular fish. Fish with flesh. Simple, unassuming fish that doesn't look at you when served with eyes full of sadness! Fish such as filleted salmon, cod, sea bass, haddock -you get the picture- and I often order fish when eating out as I rarely know what to 'do' with it to make it appetising! So when I agreed to embark on a fish based challenge presented by Willie Little of Fish in Crieff I really was treading water!

I knew langoustines didn't take long to cook, nor should they be masked by any heavy flavours or sauce but other than that I was a tad stumped. My innate reaction was to pair them with lemon and parsley so I went with my gut and did just that (along with a clove of roasted garlic as this gave a sweet hum to the butter). After reading a couple of articles I soon established they would be cooked in around 8 minutes (fast food indeed!) and after consulting a few videos on YouTube I was confident on how to get the blighters open.

Although I did have to 'coach' myself when cooking and handling these sea based creepy crawlies (including the removal of their "poop chute") they were very much worth it and encourage you all to visit your local fishmonger and ask for his or her recommendations. Sadly,  the vast majority of our fish caught in Scottish waters travels overseas to be enjoyed- this is down to people like me who are afraid to branch out, don't know what to do with it or have simply never tried it before! With variety in abundance, short cooking times and many health benefits associated with lean mass and essential oils, Fish is a great alternative for a week day main meal or a special weekend dinner date.

I urge you to try this receipe if you haven't before, or dabble in some other varieties of seafood should you be an regular visitor to your fishmonger already! And please.... whilst your at it.... help ME out too! This is definitely one area I will be working and experimenting more on...

***

• To enjoy fresh langoustines in minutes simply place them into boiling water, cover with a lid and cook for 8 minutes. 
• Whilst they are in the pot, melt butter in a seperate pan, add coarsely chopped parsley, a clove of crushed pre-roasted garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. 
• To remove the meat from the cooked langoustines remove the head, squeeze the sharp sides together until you hear a crack (all the way along) and finally prise apart the shell to remove a relaxed 'C shape' of succulent meat. 
• This meat can then be dipped in the butter or drizzled over, either way they make a fantastic fast food starter or fancy appetiser! 

Happy fishing everyone! x

Follow CouthieCantie's food based adventures, and share your own too, on Twitter and Facebook 

***

Do you enjoy shopping locally or want to find out more about independent businesses within the Stirlingshire area, including fresh food producers? If so, check out Love Local Magazine now!