Langostino

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Langostino is a Spanish word meaning "small lobster" (in Spanish Lobster is called Langosta), but is commonly used in the restaurant trade to refer to the meat of the squat lobster, which is neither a true lobster nor a prawn. It is more closely related to porcelain crabs and hermit crabs. Langostinos are not langoustes (spiny lobsters) despite a similar name.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration allows “langostino” as a market name for three species in the family Galatheidae: Cervimunida johni, Munida gregaria, and Pleuroncodes monodon^[1].

In Cuba and other Spanish speaking Caribbean islands, the name Langostino is also used to refer to crayfish.

These species are no more than 3 inches (7.6 centimetres) long and weigh no more than 7 ounces (198 grams)^[2].

Langostinos are sometimes confused with langoustines, a true lobster that is common in European cuisine ^[3]

[edit] Controversy

In March 2006, Long John Silver’s garnered controversy by offering buttered lobster bites advertising that they include “langostino lobster”^[4]. The controversy remains due to ambiguity on whether the langostino should be classified as a lobster, a crab, or neither. 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.