Is a langoustine a lobster?

The Latin name of langoustines is Nephrops norvegicus, and they’re actually a relative of the lobster, with which we’re all familiar. Langoustines are smaller than lobster, however, growing in size to a maximum of only around 10 inches.

Where do langoustines come from?

Although, as their Latin name suggests, langoustines were first found off the coast of Norway, the majority of the ones caught today come from the cold waters of the northern Atlantic and the North Sea, particularly off the west coast of Scotland in the Moray Firth and toward Iceland.

What is a langoustine & why should you eat it?

Forget foie. Forget caviar. Langoustines are the new marker of haute cuisine. Slim, pinkish-orange, and built like a basketball player (all arms and legs), Nephrops norvegicus is a shrimpy-looking crustacean in the lobster family.

Why are langoustines important to Scotland?

The langoustine has become hugely important to the Scottish fishing industry, which was decimated by a ban on herring fishing in the 1970s, and Scotland now provides more than half of the amount of langoustines eaten around the world. The biggest markets for langoustines are France and Spain where they are known as cigalas.