Crustaceans can be cooked in a brew of water, vegetable extract or bouillon, together with leak, carrots, celery, onions and a seasoning mix (consisting for example of bay leaf, rosemary, oregano, pepper, basil, herbs de provence etc.). One can round off the taste with white wine, brandy, apple wine, champagne, pear or pineapple juice.

It is important that for each litre of liquid there is 35 to 40 g of crustacean salt mix or, if not available, simple cooking salt. 20ml of oil is then added. The salt content corresponds approximately to that of sea water and the oil removes the white lime marks on the shell of the crustaceans.
Upon further use of the brew the high salt content must be taken into consideration. Which means the brew must be diluted!

The living crustaceans are placed head first into the brew and covered. Leave to boil and make sure that the water does not begin to simmer! The cooking time varies depending upon the size and variety of crustaceans and also on how glassy one prefers the meat.

Hear are a few approximate guidelines:
1/2 kg lobster or crayfish: approx. 15 minutes
very large lobsters or langustine: approx. 20 to 30 minutes
Norway lobsters or large prawns: approx. 5 minutes
With prawns one waits until the top of the head comes to the water’s surface. Immediately after cooking place the warm prawns on ice. Brush the shell of Norway lobsters, crayfish, lobsters and other large shellfish with butter as soon as they are cooked. This gives a more intense flavour.