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If you enjoy seafood, you’ve been waiting for lobster season. Whether you’re a seasoned lobster eater or trying lobster for the first time, you’ll find a tangy, green paste. This is it, and should we consume it or stay away from it?
What’s the Green Stuff?
Tomele serves as the pancreas and liver of the digestive system in lobsters. Lobster digestive organs change color when cooked.
“When cooked, the lobster’s digestive gland, the tomali, turns green,” explains Will Brady, executive chef at YŪGŌ Oxford in Mississippi. Some people may refer to it as lobster paste. For those who haven’t eaten it, Brady describes it as “tastes like lobster, the texture is richer and smoother.”
Why Is Tomalley Considered a Delicacy?
James Lubin is the owner and head chef of Semaj’s One Way Catering, located in Florida. He claims that the dish’s creamy texture and strong shellfish flavor make it delicious.
The limited accessibility and scarcity of Tommy Lee increases its demand, enhancing its status as a delicacy. With limited quantities available, Brady claims there is a supply and demand problem at hand. “Like caviar, you can only get one to two teaspoons from a whole lobster.”
How To Use Lobster Paste
When eating a whole lobster, some people like to remove it and enjoy a few pieces. However, you can use this delicious concoction as a spread, in sauces, soups, or mixed with butter.
“It’s an excellent thickening agent for seafood sauce or lobster bisque,” claims Lubin. “It’s also used in pate form to spread on crostini or tea sandwiches.”
Your place of residence will also affect the way you cook and consume this unique ingredient.
“Many Northeasterners serve this as a topping on toasts, whipped with butter and fresh herbs,” explains Brady. However, he loves to use tomalley in seafood dishes because he is a Southern cook.
“As a chef in the South, I find it enjoyable to be used in a low country boil to enhance flavors and thicken the broths we are using to boil the seafood being served,” Brady explains.
Lubin enjoys spreading a club sandwich with lobster paste. To enhance the taste profile of a lobster club with grilled pineapples, perfect for a summery picnic, I would use it in an aioli. Additionally, Tomalley might also added to clarified butter to dip your lobster in for additional flavor, shares Brady.
Purchasing Lobster With Tomalley
It doesn’t matter if you buy fresh or frozen lobster because the food is the animal’s digestive gland. If you buy from a fish counter you have the option to request the removal of the pancreas and liver.
“At the time of purchase, if you want the fishmongers to split your lobster, you have the option of leaving it or taking it out,” Brady said.
The texture varies slightly depending on whether the lobster is male or female. Ever wondered how to tell the difference between male and female lobsters? According to Brady, “The female lobster has a broad tail that is slightly curved, while the male lobster has long legs and a straight tail.”
The color of the lobster will indicate whether it has been cooked by someone else. “Females have more yellow tomaly and males have green tomaly,” says Brady. Furthermore, because female lobsters are smooth in texture, experienced lobster diners may be able to identify them. “I personally think the female tomalley has better color and denser texture,” says Brady.
Is It Safe To Eat?
Lobster digestive glands are generally safe for occasional consumption. According to Lubin, “Most healthy people can tolerate moderate amounts of tomalley.” Tommy Lee may contain poison because it is a processing facility for everything that eats lobster.
Moderation in use is advised. According to Brady, “Eating too much tomali can have negative effects on the human body.” “For example, mercury and other toxins associated with eating animal glands and livers can be harmful to the body if consumed in large quantities.”
Cooking lobster does not reduce its toxins. “The toxins in lobster meat are safe to consume, but cooking does not release the toxins because tomalley is a water-soluble substance found in the digestive tract,”
Who Shouldn’t Eat It?
If you have a sensitive system, you likely want to skip this delicacy. “If you have a weakened immune system, it is not recommended to consume tomalley,” says Lubin.
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