Next Wednesday, the local lobster season will come to an end.

If you have not had your fill of tasty local lobsters, rush to your favourite local restaurant or pick some up to cook at home.

If you are preparing lobster at home, just remember to avoid getting sick, never eat a lobster that has died.

You can store a healthy live lobster for up to three days in the refrigerator.

If it is in the refrigerated you do not have to put it on ice or in water -- a little damp seaweed should do the trick.

Here are a few lobster recipes to help you enjoy the last week of the local lobster season.

*** STEAMING A LOBSTER BRING the water to a rapid boil and begin timing when the water returns to a boil.

1-11 pounds----12-15 minutes 11 -2 pounds----15-20 minutes 2-3 pounds----20-25 minutes 3-6 pounds----25-28 minutes *** STUFFED SPINY LOBSTER Four 11 -pounds lobsters, cooked and split, reserve the roe 1 cup of mushrooms, chopped 1 pound butter 1 cup flavoured breadcrumbs 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves 2 tablespoons dry vermouth Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, grated SAUTE the mushrooms briefly in the butter. Add the thyme and breadcrumbs and cook another couple of minutes.

Recipes to end lobster season Add the roe, and finally a generous splash of vermouth. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. It should have an oatmeal-like consistency.

Brush some oil or butter on the lobster shell to prevent burning. Stuff the lobsters with the mixture, sprinkle with cheese and run under the broiler for 2 minutes until just browned on top and all is hot and bubbly.

Recipe from the Spirit of Bermuda Cookbook.

*** LOBSTER SUPREME 4 lobster tails (about 5 ounces each) 1 (8 ounce) can artichokes, drained 1 cup butter 1 green pepper, sliced in strips 1 small onion, sliced 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup flour, unsifted 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon ground pepper 21 cups milk 1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon Worcestershire 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup sherry REMOVE lobster from shell; cut into large chunks. Mix with artichokes. Saute green pepper and onion in butter until softened. Remove from heat. Mix with lobster.

Reserve butter in pan. To melted butter, stir in flour, salt, paprika and pepper. Slowly add milk, stirring all the while. Heat to just boiling (1 minute). Stir small portion of hot flour mix into beaten egg, then add egg mix to remainder of hot flour mix. Cook over medium heat until thick custard.

Add to lobster mix. Add remaining ingredients. Mix gently, but well. Spoon into casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Recipe from International Cooking in Bermuda.

*** LOBSTER NEWBURG 2 cups lobster meat chopped 6 tablespoons butter 4 egg yolks 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons flour 1 cup cooking sherry 2 cups cream or milk Cayenne -- few grains Nutmeg -- few grains COOK lobster in butter for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with flour. Stir well. Add sherry slowly, cook 2 or 3 minutes more.

Combine egg yolks and cream. Add slowly to lobster, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat or place over hot water. Stir until it thickens. Add salt, cayenne and nutmeg. Serve on toast or pastry shells.

Recipe from The Continental Society Cookbook.

*** CHEF DAVID REGO'S LOBSTER CURRY 3 small lobsters 1 cup olive oil 6 tablespoons butter 1 Bermuda onion, chopped fine 1 green pepper, chopped fine 1 apple, chopped fine 1 tablespoon coconut 3 ounces white wine 3 tablespoons curry powder 1 teaspoon tumeric powder 2 tablespoons tomato paste Stock as needed Salt as needed 2 cups (approximately) thick cream sauce 1 tablespoon chutney, chopped CUT tails from lobsters. Cut each lobster into 6 sections. Cook lobster in combined hot olive oil and butter until light brown. Add next 5 ingredients and cook for 5 minutes. Place the mixtures in a moderate oven 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven. Take lobster pieces and remove meat from tails. Place lobster meat in a casserole dish and set aside. Cook sauce until reduced to half its volume. Thicken with cream sauce. Mix in chutney. Season.

Pour sauce over lobster meat in casserole dish. Heat in oven. Serve over hot boiled rice.

*** LOBSTER PILAF 2 tablespoons butter 1 onion, chopped 1 cup raw rice 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 tin (14 ounces) chicken broth 1 bay leaf STIR onion and rice in melted butter until soft but not brown. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the following: 1 tablespoons butter 1 pound mushrooms, sliced 4 tablespoons sour cream 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 11 cups cooked lobster, diced FRY mushrooms in butter. Add remaining ingredients and heat. Stir into rice when it is cooked. Serve with soy sauce.

*** LOBSTER THERMIDOR 2 medium lobster, boiled 1 cup diced mushrooms, cooked 2 cups medium cream sauce 1 teaspoon paprika 1 cup cooking sherry 2 tablespoons butter 2 dashes Tabasco sauce 1 teaspoon salt Dash of pepper Grated cheese SPLIT the boiled lobster in halves and remove the meat. Wash the shells well inside and then dry. Cut the meat in about 1 inch cubes.

Melt the butter in a saucepan; add lobster meat, mushrooms and paprika. Heat this mixture. Pour sherry over this and simmer until the sherry is reduced to half.

Then add the cream sauce, Tabasco sauce and salt. Boil for 1 minute. Divide the mixture into the 4 lobster shells. Sprinkle with lots of grated cheese.

Place under broiler to brown.

What's Cooking in Bermuda.