To cook a lobster from raw:
Put it into the freezer for 2 hours before cooking; this will kill it painlessly. Bring a large pan of heavily-salted water to the boil (i.e. 150 g/5 oz of salt to every 4.5 litres/8 pints of water). Add the lobster and bring back to the boil. Cook those up to 750 g (1 ½ lb) for 15 minutes and 1.25 kg (2 ½ lb) for 20 minutes. Remove and leave to cool.
Put the lobster belly-side down on to a board and make sure none of the leg is tucked underneath. Cut it in half, first through the middle of the head between the eyes. Then turn either the knife or the lobster around and finish cutting it in half through the tail.
Removing the tail meat in one piece
Pull the tail away from the head Turn the tail section over and cut along either side of the flat belly-shell with strong scissors Lift back the flap of shell
Lift out the tail meat
Remove the intestinal tract either by cutting the tail into thin slices and removing it from each slice with the tip of a small sharp knife or by running the knife down the back of the meat and removing it in one piece.
