LOBSTER’S COME A long way since the 1880s, when it was thought of as swill to be fed only to prisoners.

Since then, the king crustacean has earned “delicacy” status, and, thanks to sustainable fishing practices and improved transportation and packaging, it’s a delicacy we can enjoy anytime, anywhere, ocean view or not.

So get ready to rock some lobster with these two easy and delicious preparations:

Grilled lobster

1. Steam for 2 minutes just to set the meat.
2. Cut it in half lengthwise and brush with butter or olive oil. Grill flesh-side down over a flame.

Simple lobster pasta

1. Boil water. Cook lobster for 2 minutes. Take out and allow to cool, then remove the meat.
2. Put shells back into pot and boil for another 20 minutes to extract more flavor. Then remove them, skim off the water, and use the broth to cook your pasta.
3. Toss the pasta with a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, some garlic sautéed in olive oil, and lastly, the lobster meat.

by Natalie Gingerich Mackenzie