Lobster with Menorca Salt : A Unique Culinary Experience at the Concepción Salt Pans
Chef David de Coca's Recipe - Menorca Salt Lobster
Hello, I'm David de Coca, chef at Restaurant Sa Llagosta in Fornells.
This time, we find ourselves at the Concepción Salinas to prepare an exquisite dish with salt: Menorca Salt Lobster.
We'll use native lobster from Fornells, in the north of Menorca. .
To make the salt plate, we'll need a kilogram of salt. In a bowl, we'll mix the salt with 200 grams of egg white and cornstarch. The resulting mixture will be placed on a tray and baked for about an hour at 100 degrees Celsius. If the salt seems too moist, we extend the baking time for a few additional minutes, as salt tends to absorb moisture. After the cooking time, we'll have a plate with the same shape as the tray, made entirely of salt. We'll let it cool before moving on.
Concepción Salt from Fornells takes center stage in 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 salary comes from the Roman practice of being paid with salt. Despite modern refrigeration, it's exciting to rediscover and appreciate the importance of Salt Pans.
Now, let's move on to preparing the Salt Lobster. We identify Fornells lobster by the blue bridle from the fishermen's guild. After removing the bridle, we cover the lobster with salt and bake it at 180 degrees. The cooking time will depend on the size of the lobster; for a half-kilo one, 12 to 15 minutes should be sufficient.
While the lobster cooks, we prepare a classic Menorcan sauce, Mahonesa, using eggs, oil, and Concepción Salt from Salinas. We can also add a touch of lemon or mustard according to personal taste. To give a final touch to the Mahonesa, we incorporate some samphire, an edible plant that will add a crunchy and salty touch.
After the cooking time, we remove the lobster from the salt and plate it on the salt plate we prepared earlier. To accompany it, we add samphire and the samphire Mahonesa we made. It's important to remove the lobster's intestine to ensure the best flavor.
Finally, we adorn the Salt Lobster with some samphire and sea fennel on the sides. For a crunchy and maritime touch, we use Menorca Salt Flower and a bit of oil. And thus, we conclude our delicious Salt Lobster, presented on a plate made with salt and topped with Menorca Flor de Sal!
Thus, we conclude our first culinary adventure at the Salinas de la Concepción in Fornells Menorca. Lobster with Menorca Salt, presented on a plate crafted with Salt and topped with Menorca Salt Flower, is the first chapter of a our recipe series. We are excited to share more culinary secrets with Menorca Salt in the upcoming posts.
Enjoy this unique gastronomic experience! 🦞✨