Crippled lobster is a term used by fishmongers in the U.K. to signify lobsters that have been injured in a fight and are missing a leg or a claw. They taste the same but sell at a cut price.

My father was very big on using crippled lobster for things like salads and pastas or anywhere at all where the lobster would be served in pieces instead of whole. “An injured lobster is more than up to the task—and one-third the price!” he liked to say. Sometimes I think that my father believed that he played a major role in promoting the popularity of those injured beasts. I learned a great deal about cooking from him. He was an amazing cook. He always chased down the best ingredients and kept things simple. He never said so, but this beautiful, simple dish must have come from his many years living in Rome. — J.G.