Steamed Lobsters - live lobsters

Method

• Choose a large pot with a tight-fitting lid that is large enough to fit the lobsters comfortably with enough room for the steam to circulate around them.
• Wrap the lid tightly with a kitchen towel.
• Place a steamer basket or an upturned colander in the pot, and pour in cold water to a depth of about 2 inches.
• Cover and bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, put the lobsters on a cutting board.
• Place the tip of a large, heavy knife at the cross marks on the back of a lobster's head.
• In one quick motion cut down through the head to the cutting board.
• Repeat with the remaining lobsters.
• To keep the tails straight and ensure even cooking, slip a thin wooden skewer through the length of the lobster's tails.
• When the water is boiling, quickly add the lobsters to the pot and cover.
• Steam the lobsters, shaking the pot occasionally, until cooked through, about 10 minutes for 3/4 to 1 pound lobsters, about 12 minutes for 1 to 1 1/4 pound lobsters, and about 13 minutes for 1 1/2 to 2 pound lobsters.
• Remove the lobsters from the pot and, if you are serving them whole, set them aside for several minutes to rest.
• Using the back of the heavy knife or a mallet crack the claws.
• Transfer the lobsters to plates and serve with drawn butter and lobster claw crackers.
• To remove all the meat from the lobster: Transfer the lobster to a colander in the sink and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking.
• Using your hands, twist the claws, knuckles, and tails off of the lobsters.
• Reserve the bodies for making broth.
• On a work surface, rest the tails on their sides and, using the palm of your hand, press down on them to crack the shells.
• Holding a tail with both hands, with the belly facing you, break the tail shell back and pop out the meat.
• Repeat with the remaining tails.
• If you have female lobsters (the swimmerets at top of the tail are soft and have hair-like wisps protruding from them), you may want to prepare CORAL BUTTER, (recipe follows) with the roe.
• The roe are the dark green eggs located in the body and the top of the tail.
• Carefully cut open the top of the tail and the body and remove the roe.
• Grab the "thumb" of a lobster claw and move it back and forth.
• Try to wiggle the shell off of the meat while pulling out the internal piece of cartilage, leaving the meat attached to the claw (this is a tricky maneuver, if it doesn't work you should be able to shake the meat out).
• Place the claw horizontally upright with the curve of the claw facing up.
• Using the heavy part of the blade of the knife, with a short and swift motion, crack the back end of the claw.
• Drop the claw to its side and, with the back of the knife, crack the side of the back of the claw.
• Remove the cracked back end of the claw and wiggle the meat out from the shell.
• Repeat with the remaining claws.
• Place the knuckles on the work surface and cover with a kitchen towel.
• Using the back of the knife, crack the knuckles.
• Using your hands, remove the shell from the knuckles and carefully pick out the meat.
• You may also use kitchen shears to cut open the knuckles and remove the meat.
• Place the butter in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Boil for 1 minute.
• Set the saucepan aside and let the butter settle, undisturbed.
• The milk solids will come to the top of the butter and the watery whey will collect on the bottom.
• Skim off the milk solids with a spoon and pour the drawn butter into a serving bowl or several small ramekins, taking care not include the watery liquid in the bottom of the pan.
• Serve.
• Yield: about 1 cup
• Place the butter in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Boil for 1 minute.
• Set the saucepan aside and let the butter settle, undisturbed.
• The milk solids will come to the top of the butter and the watery whey will collect on the bottom.
• Skim off the milk solids with a spoon and pour the drawn butter into a small bowl.
• Wipe out the sauce and return the drawn butter to it.
• Place the roe in a medium bowl and whisk lightly to break it up.
• Heat the butter over medium heat until just hot.
• Gradually pour the warmed butter over the roe, while whisking, until the eggs turn bright red.
• Serve with lobster or other shellfish.
• Yield: about 1 cup