For Nina Parker, lobster has always meant celebration. It’s the dish that feels instantly special – luxurious yet generous, the kind of centrepiece that brings people together. Seafood has that magic: a touch extravagant, but wonderfully simple with the right sauce. Here, lobster, prawns and clams are roasted until just tender, then drenched in nutty garlic parsley brown butter. It’s the sort of feast that turns dinner into an occasion.
My grandmother adored seafood. I spent summers with her in the south of France, where those feasts left a big impression. This recipe brings that spirit home: it looks indulgent, but it’s actually simple to make. I love to serve it piled high on a platter in the middle of the table, so everyone can dig in together.
Ingredients
Serves: 4 (as a sharing platter)
Seafood
- 2 whole live lobsters (about 500–600g each)
- 400g large raw prawns, shell-on
- 500g fresh clams, scrubbed and rinsed
- 80g melted unsalted butter
Garlic Parsley Brown Butter
- 150g (10 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 4 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon (half for butter, half for finishing)
- 1½ tsp sea salt
- ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Step-by-step
Split the lobsters
Place each live lobster belly-down on a sturdy chopping board. Hold firmly, position the tip of a sharp chef’s knife just behind the eyes, then push down swiftly through the head. Continue cutting lengthwise down the body to split completely. Remove the stomach sac (behind the head) and the dark intestinal vein along the tail.
Parboil the lobsters
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Carefully lower the split lobster halves into the boiling water and cook for 1–2 minutes, until shells turn bright red. Remove and drain well.
Make the garlic parsley brown butter
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Swirl the pan often – once it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty (about 3–4 minutes), remove from the heat. Immediately stir in the garlic, parsley, lemon zest, half the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Prepare the seafood tray
Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Arrange the lobster halves shell-side down on a large roasting tray. Scatter the prawns and clams around them. Spoon the melted butter generously over all the seafood. Roast for 10–12 minutes basting halfway through with the brown butter parsley mix, until lobster meat is opaque, prawns are pink, and clams have opened (discard any that remain closed). Transfer everything to a large platter, pouring over any butter and cooking juices from the tray. Add a last bit from the brown butter parsley mix, squeeze over the remaining lemon juice.
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