Lobster with Menorcan Salt: A Unique Culinary Experience in the Salt Flats of Concepción
Hello, I'm David de Coca, chef at Restaurant Sa Llagosta in Fornells.
This time, we find ourselves in the Salinas de la Concepción to prepare an exquisite dish with salt: Menorcan Salt Lobster.
We will use a local lobster from Fornells, in northern Menorca, known as "the best of the best." We will also use the prestigious Concepción salt in our recipe. We will not only cook the lobster in salt, but also create a dish using this essential ingredient.
To make the salt dish, you will need one kilogram of salt. In a bowl, mix the salt with 200 grams of egg white and cornstarch. Spread the resulting mixture on a baking sheet and bake for approximately one hour at 100 degrees Celsius. If the salt seems too moist, extend the baking time by a few minutes, as salt tends to absorb moisture.
After the cooking time, we will obtain a dish with the same shape as the tray, made entirely of salt. We will let it cool before continuing.
The salt from La Concepción de Fornells is the star of this recipe, and it's interesting to note that salt is the only rock we consume directly. Historically, salt has been used to preserve food and even as a form of currency. In fact, the concept of wages originated from the Roman practice of paying with salt. Although we now have refrigerators, it's exciting to rediscover and appreciate the importance of salt production.
Now, let's move on to preparing the salt-baked lobster. We identify Fornells lobsters by the blue tag of the fishermen's guild. After removing the tag, we cover the lobster with salt and bake it at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). The cooking time will depend on the size of the lobster; for one weighing half a kilo (1 pound), 12 to 15 minutes should be enough.
While the lobster is cooking, we prepare a classic Menorcan sauce, mayonnaise, using eggs, oil, and salt from the Salinas de la Concepción salt flats. We can also add a touch of lemon or mustard according to personal taste. To give the mayonnaise a final touch, we add some samphire, an edible plant that will provide a crunchy and salty element.
Once the cooking time is up, remove the lobster from the salt and plate it on the salt plate you prepared earlier. To accompany it, add samphire and the samphire mayonnaise you made. It's important to remove the lobster's vein to ensure the best flavor of the dish.
Finally, we garnish the Salt-Baked Lobster with a little samphire and samphire on the sides. For a crisp, nautical touch, we use Menorcan Fleur de Sel and a drizzle of oil. And so we conclude our delicious Salt-Baked Lobster, presented on a plate made with salt and finished with Fleur de Sel!
This concludes our first culinary adventure at the Salinas de la Concepción salt flats in Fornells, Menorca. We prepared lobster with Menorcan salt, presented on a plate made with salt, and finished with a sprinkling of Menorcan fleur de sel. This is the first chapter in our recipe series. We're excited to share more culinary secrets from our friends at the Salinas de la Concepción salt flats, using Menorcan salt, in upcoming posts.
Enjoy this unique gastronomic experience! 🦞✨
