Boiled Lobster With Drawn Lemon-Caper Butter

Excerpted from The Beach House Cookbook by Barbara Scott-Goodman. Copyright © 2005, Chronicle Books.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons kosher salt
• 4  live lobsters (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds each)
•  lemon wedge, for serving

• For lemon-caper butter

• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
• 1  teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon capers, drained
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh chives

Directions

1. Fill a large soup pot or lobster pot two-thirds full of water.
2. Add the salt and bring to a boil.
3. When the water has come to a rolling boil, plunge the lobsters headfirst into the pot.
4. Cover tightly with the lid and return the water to a boil over high heat.
5. Cook the lobsters until the shells turn bright red, 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Lift the lobsters out of the water with tongs and drain well in a colander.
7. Remove the rubber bands from the claws, crack the claw shells, and drain off the excess liquid.
8. To make the lemon-caper butter, melt the butter in a small saucepan.
9. Stir in the lemon juice, capers, and chives and keep warm, over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve.
10. Serve the lobsters with the butter and lemon wedges.