LANGOUSTINE
Langoustine is also known as Norway lobster and Dublin Bay prawn, and its scientific name (to avoid confusions, people) is Nephrops norvegicus - although this might not be the name to look for in your local fish stands. Italians have yet another name for it - or rather for its tail - scampi. Now you should be able to find this nicely tasting creature in your local stores, although they do have to be well equipped if you live far away from the animals' natural habitats.
Langoustine is characteristic for its relatively small size (compared to 'usual' lobsters) and the pale pink color. It is indeed a slim crustacean animal equipped with a pair of long and thin claws. The larger exemplars of langoustine are 25 cm/10 in. long, the male specimens being larger than the females. Langoustine likes to live on soft sediments where it often digs tunnels for hiding when it's not hunting for worms and smaller fish. Normally, they can be found up to several hundred meters deep into the sea and they live mainly in north-east Atlantic and North Sea. A lot of the langoustine is caught around the English land, mostly by means of trawling, and consequently also some other bottom loving fish like soles are caught along with these small lobsters.
Langoustine is sold either raw or cooked, and the tail meat is the one that is eaten. Some meat is also to be found in the claws, but it is more fuss to get it out - however, it tastes lovely in my opinion. The shells of this lobster can of course be used to make a stock or a sauce to accompany the langoustine dish. The best season for this animal? All the time, as long as their size is sufficient to be consumed. Norwegian lobster is reproducing during the summer, as the females carry the green or gray eggs under their tails. The females are usually hiding when they are in this stage of life, and they do so for about 9 months - pretty much like a human woman. The big difference is that the langoustine females don't eat very much during the time they are carrying their developing eggs. As the time passes by then, the larves hatch from the eggs and start their new lives before they end up on our plates.
Good food combinations with langoustine include onions, shallots, wine, garlic, red chiles, chives, and cream. You can also try to use an old time favorite flavoring ingredient for shellfish - bacon. For seasoning you can use basil, bay leaves, chervil, parsley, dill, a little rosemary, or thyme. Cognac and Madeira are also used for scampi. For some extra sting, go with Tabasco, mustard, mint, or vodka. And of course, don't forget about the queen of all flavorings - butter.