This delicacy is in season over the festive months, making it ideal for Christmas dinner. When cooked, lobster has firm, white and tasty flesh - the meat from the legs is sweeter than the tail. Lobsters are often called crayfish but technically crays are a freshwater species.

Ingredients

• 1 kg cooked lobster
• 250 grams spaghetti
• ¼ cup lemon infused olive oil
• 1 tblsp fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup shredded fresh basil
• handful of toasted pinenuts (optional)

Method

1. Split the lobster in half. Pull the meat from the tail and legs and cut into bite-size pieces.
2. Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water until tender and drain well. Toss with the lobster, lemon-infused olive oil, lemon juice, basil and pinenuts (if using). Season well with freshly ground black pepper and serve just warm.

Cooks Tips

Buying: If buying uncooked lobster make sure it's alive and energetic. If buying a cooked lobster, check the tail is tucked firmly up to the underside. If you straighten it out, it should snap back into a tight curl. Storing: Fresh lobsters should be cooked as quickly as possible. Cooked lobsters should be bought on the day to be eaten, and kept well-chilled until required. Preparing: Place the uncooked lobster in a pot of cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 8 minutes per 500 grams. Cooking: Most of us will buy a lobster already cooked. If serving warm, the meat requires only gentle re-heating. Cut the lobster in half down through the centre of the body; remove the meat from the tail. Crack the legs to remove the meat. You can use a crochet hook to pull the meat out.