Langouste a la Vanille — Print Recipe

Fresh lobster simmered in a creamy coconut sauce perfumed with Comorian vanilla. An exquisite island delicacy.

Ingredients

2 whole lobster tails (about 500g total), halved lengthwise
1 can (400ml) coconut milk
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1 Season the halved lobster tails with salt, turmeric, and a squeeze of lime juice. Let them marinate at room temperature for fifteen minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients and heat your cooking pan.
2 Heat the vegetable oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Sear the lobster tails flesh-side down for two minutes until they develop a golden crust, then flip and sear the shell side for one minute. Remove and set aside.
3 In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and saute the diced onion until softened and translucent, about five minutes. Add the garlic and grated ginger, cooking for another minute until the kitchen fills with fragrance.
4 Add the diced tomatoes and cayenne pepper to the pan, cooking for five minutes until the tomatoes break down into a thick, jammy sauce. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and to help the tomatoes release their juices.
5 Pour in the coconut milk and add the vanilla bean pod along with its scraped seeds. Stir well to combine and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, letting it cook for eight minutes until it thickens and the vanilla infuses throughout.
6 Nestle the seared lobster tails back into the coconut sauce, spooning the sauce over the tops. Cover the pan and cook gently for six to eight minutes until the lobster meat is opaque, white, and firm throughout.
7 Remove the vanilla bean pod, then squeeze fresh lime juice over the dish and taste the sauce for salt. Serve the lobster tails in their shells surrounded by the vanilla-coconut sauce, garnished with fresh cilantro over steamed rice.