Langostino
Published on
January 23, 2014
There are several species of langostino, but the one most commonly marketed is Pleuroncodes monodon, a small, lobster-like crustacean found in the cold, deep waters off the coast of Chile, where it is known as langostino colorado. A related langostino, P. planipes, also called tuna crab, ranges from Baja, California to Peru. A fishery off the coast of El Salvador provides langostino lobster for the U.S. market. The langostino is actually a member of the crab family Galatheidae. Ranging from 4 to 5 inches in length, the crustacean looks like a short, crinkled crawfish but brandishes a pair of front pincers longer than its body. However, it is seldom seen whole in the marketplace, since it is most often sold in the United States as frozen, cooked tail meat, either in the shell or peeled and deveined. Langostinos are caught by trawlers and landed alive for processing. After a near-collapse of the fishery in the early 1980s, the Chilean government now strictly controls the harvest to ensure maximum sustainable yield.
Pleuroncodes monodon; P. planipes
Langostino
Langostino, langostino colorado; squat lobster, langostino chileno
Galathée rouge
Langostino
Langostillo
There are several species of langostino, but the one most commonly marketed is Pleuroncodes monodon, a small, lobster-like crustacean found in the cold, deep waters off the coast of Chile, where it is known as langostino colorado. A related langostino, P. planipes, also called tuna crab, ranges from Baja, California to Peru. A fishery off the coast of El Salvador provides langostino lobster for the U.S. market. The langostino is actually a member of the crab family Galatheidae. Ranging from 4 to 5 inches in length, the crustacean looks like a short, crinkled crawfish but brandishes a pair of front pincers longer than its body. However, it is seldom seen whole in the marketplace, since it is most often sold in the United States as frozen, cooked tail meat, either in the shell or peeled and deveined. Langostinos are caught by trawlers and landed alive for processing. After a near-collapse of the fishery in the early 1980s, the Chilean government now strictly controls the harvest to ensure maximum sustainable yield.
Langostino looks like cooked shrimp meat but has a sweet, delicate flavor more like lobster or crab. The texture resembles shrimp more than lobster tail meat.The edible morsel of meat in the langostino is found in its inch-long tail. Meat sizes range from 100- to 200-count per pound.
| Calories: | 71 |
| Fat Calories: | 0 |
| Total Fat: | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat: | 0 g |
| Cholesterol: | 125 mg |
| Sodium: | 360 mg |
| Protein: | 15 g |
| Omega 3: | N/A |
The pre-cooked langostino meats offer convenience and no waste. They are an ideal size for salads, stuffings, soups, seafood sauces or pizza and can be sautéed or stir-fried to serve over pasta. Langostino tail meat can be used in recipes calling for cooked crab, lobster or shrimp.
Lobster, Crab, Shrimp
- Bake
- Boil
- Broil
- Fry
- Grill
- Pate
- Poach
- Saute
- Smoke
- Steam
Chile, El Salvador
