- Langostino
"Langostino" is a Spanish word with different meanings in different areas. In America, it is commonly used in the restaurant trade to refer to the meat of the
squat lobster , which is neither a truelobster nor aprawn . It is more closely related toporcelain crab s andhermit crab s. Langostinos are notlangouste s (spiny lobsters) despite a similar name (in Spanish, Lobster is called Langosta.)In Spain, it means some species of
prawn s.In the
United States , theFood and Drug Administration allows “langostino” as a market name for three species in the familyGalatheidae : "Cervimunida johni ", "Munida gregaria ", and "Pleuroncodes monodon " [cite web|url= http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~ear/seafood.html|title= FDA Fish List: Market Names of Fish and Shellfish|accessdate=2007-10-30] .In
Cuba and other Spanish speaking Caribbean islands, the name Langostino is also used to refer tocrayfish .These species are no more than 3 inches (7.6 centimetres) long and weigh no more than 7 ounces (198 grams) [cite web|url= http://www.seagrant.umaine.edu/documents/pdf/07WClangCS.pdf|title= Fish Fraud: No matter what you call it, 'squat' isn't lobster|format=PDF|accessdate=2007-10-31] .
Langostinos are sometimes confused with langoustines, a true lobster that is common in European cuisine [cite web|url= http://www.seafoodbusiness.com/archives.asp?ItemID=3399&pcid=235&cid=236&archive=yes |title= Langostino vs. Lobster: What's the difference?]
Controversy
In
March 2006 , Long John Silver’s garnered controversy by offering buttered lobster bites advertising that they include “langostino lobster” [cite web|url= http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/04/politics/main2059973.shtml?source=RSSattr=Business_2059973|title= Taking Aim At 'Impostor Lobster'|accessdate=2007-10-30] . The controversy remains due to ambiguity on whether the langostino should be classified as a lobster, a crab, or neither. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge made no decisions in April 2006 on the matter when a class-action lawsuit was brought against Rubio’s Restaurants, Inc., for selling “lobster burrito” and “lobster taco” that were in fact made with squat lobster.References
External links
* [http://www.corksnforks.com/vsattui2003/Images/may17/0517_23.jpgPhoto of a cooked langostino, a cooked shrimp, and a cooked lobster claw]
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