Langoustines and Spineys

Langoustines, also known as Scottish prawns, are delicious little beasties. The smaller ones are sweeter, but you get much more meat out of the claws in larger langoustines. Spineys, or squat lobsters, are similar to langoustines but a bit smaller and more squashed looking. They are delicious and even sweeter than the langoustines.

Langoustines can be trawled or caught by creels. There are arguments for and against either method, but we feel creel fishing is more sustainable, so we choose to buy creel-caught rather than trawled. Creel-caught langoustines are more expensive, but you always get them alive and they tend to be bigger and a higher quality. We think they’re worth it. You can buy them all year round, but we avoid May as this is when they tend to cast their shells which can make them soft and tasteless.