Fish & Seafood | Langoustine

The Norway Lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), also known as langoustine, Dublin Bay prawn or scampi, is one of the most valuable seafood species landed in Scotland. Most are caught by trawlers, but in west coast lochs, creeling is more common.

Worth millions of pounds to the local fishing economy, Scotland catches the world’s largest share of langoustines. Creel-caught Norway Lobsters are thought to be tastier as the shellfish remain alive after catching whereas those trawled are often injured or die, giving a less flavoursome and flabbier texture to the meat.

Langoustines have been a popular food in Britain since the 19th century, but it’s only as recently as the 1950s that they became important commercially in Scotland. The Irish were the first to start landing them in Dublin Bay where they were initially described as ‘prawns’ because of the similarity in their size and shape. This misnomer has since stuck and west coast Scottish fishermen continue to be known as ‘prawn’ fishermen.

Attracting high prices for such a gourmet dish, langoustines are exported worldwide, but in the past decade, they have been more appreciated by Scottish chefs and diners. Several Highland hotels and restaurants now have arrangements with local fishermen to buy the entire catch directly from the boats and they are a highly prized item on menus countrywide.

They may be sold live, frozen or processed and the best time to buy them fresh is from April to November. Prepared in the same way as lobster, from raw they only need to be boiled for a few minutes as overcooking ruins their texture and flavour. They can be grilled with oil and garlic or served cold in a salad with home-made mayonnaise.