Langouste à la Vanille

About This Recipe

The Comoro Islands are one of the world's leading producers of vanilla, and the islanders weave it into savoury dishes with extraordinary skill. Langouste à la vanille pairs the sweet flesh of the Indian Ocean spiny lobster with a silky sauce of vanilla, cream, garlic and a hint of turmeric. The result is elegant yet deeply rooted in the islands' spice heritage. It is served at celebrations and in the small hotel restaurants of Moroni.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 1 wholespiny lobster (about 600 g), halved lengthways
• 200 mldouble cream
• 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scrapedvanilla pod
• 2 clovesgarlic, minced
• 2 tbspbutter
• 1/4 tspground turmeric

Instructions

1. 1

   Sear lobster

   Heat butter in a wide pan over high heat. Place lobster halves cut-side down and sear 3–4 minutes. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Remove and keep warm.

2. 2

   Make vanilla sauce

   In the same pan over medium heat, soften garlic 1 minute. Add cream, vanilla pod, seeds and turmeric. Simmer 5–6 minutes until sauce coats a spoon. Season with salt.

3. 3

   Finish lobster

   Return lobster to the pan cut-side up. Spoon sauce over repeatedly and cook 2 minutes more until lobster is just cooked through.

4. 4

   Plate

   Place lobster on plates, spoon sauce over generously. Serve with steamed rice and lime wedges.

Variations

• •

  Replace lobster with large tiger prawns for a more economical version.

• •

  Add a splash of white wine to the sauce for extra complexity.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Leftover sauce keeps refrigerated 1 day.

Frequently Asked Questions