By 
In the sparkling turquoise waters around Spanish Wells, Bahamas, where galleons fell into the embrace of Davy Jones’s Locker on the hidden corals of The Devil Backbone Reef, lobsters are hiding. Caught for generations by sailors from this smallest inhabited island of the 700 Sunshine Islands, lobster offers a delicious dish.
If you want to visit Spanish Wells and buy lobster at the docks, you will have to fly to Nassau, then take a puddle jump to North Eleuthera, where you will take a taxi to shore and then a water taxi across the channel to the off-island . Trust me though; worth the trip. Lobster doesn’t get any cooler than this. And you’ll find no shortage of coconuts or sour oranges for this sweet marinade. Palm trees line the pink sand beaches of this little treasure and the sour orange trees, planted long ago by local farmers, have gone wild.
When you get to the dock, ask for Chuck. You will find him on his 78 foot boat, the Sea Gem. A third generation fisherman, he can tell you the Spanish Wells spiny lobster story better than I can. Be sure to ask him about the time he drove home from the Great Bahamas Banks in the middle of a hurricane. And after he tells you his story, be sure to tell him that I said, “Hi!”
The recipe
3-4 spiny lobster tails (also known as crabs)
1 cup coconut milk (canned is fine)
½ stick of butter
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 crushed garlic gloves
Juice of one sour orange or two fresh lemons
A pinch of sea salt
A pinch of fresh ground pepper
1. Using kitchen shears, cut lobster tails in half lengthwise and remove intestinal tract.
2. In a large skillet, combine the coconut milk, butter, onion powder, crushed garlic, lime or sour orange juice, sea salt, and pepper. Heat until butter is melted. Keep away from heat.
3. Soak lobster tails in marinade, meat side down, for 20-30 minutes.
4. Spray grill with nonstick spray or brush lightly with olive oil and heat to medium-low.
5. Grill the lobster for 3 to 5 minutes on the meat side and then 3 to 5 minutes on the shell side, observing that the opacity disappears and the color turns white. Don’t overcook.
6. Drizzle with ¼ cup marinade occasionally while cooking.
7. While the lobster is cooking, bring the rest of the marinade to a boil and reduce by half.
8. Serve grilled lobster with reduced marinade as a dipping sauce.
9. Enjoy!