date night lobster linguine.
I think Chris McCandless [Into The Wild] is the one who suggested that happiness is only real when shared. So, you’re going to want to share this linguine with someone. This pasta is savory, rustic, and comforting but feels elegant enough to really impress on a date night in. I also won’t judge if you scrap my wine recommendation and pop a bottle of Champagne with this…
Lobster is basically the foundation of my relationship with Adam. I realize how completely absurd that statement sounds. We are absurd though. Growing up, my family would only eat lobster on New Year’s Eve. I think it was supposed to be lucky for the new year? I have no idea where that logic originated…but Adam made me lobster pot pie on our first date, and it’s been a running joke that it’s the luck that sealed the deal.
As I meet more people from non-coastal regions, I’ve realized that lobster isn’t something everyone has tried. Or you’ve been served crawfish at Outback Steakhouse and been criminally told it’s lobster. If you’re new to lobster, imagine a more buttery, non-rubbery, delicate version of shrimp. I know the idea of lobster can be intimidating, so we’re using going to use the lobster tails you can grab at your seafood counter for this recipe. No live lobsters or murder required!
There is some multi-tasking, so here’s the break down the three major things happening in this recipe:
Roasting the tomatoes and garlic
Creating the lobster sauce
Butter poaching the lobster
Start with the roasting. Toss some cherry tomatoes with salt, pepper, and olive oil until evenly coated. Chop off the top of a garlic bulb and place it on a foiled sheet with the tomatoes. These will roast at 450-degrees for about 20-25 minutes. If the tomatoes aren’t blistering — use that broiler trick and keep an eye on them. For a prettier dish, I would grab some of those multi-colored cherry tomatoes they sell at the store. [Note: please don’t oversalt your tomatoes like I did in this photo…I literally dropped the salt container into the tomatoes by accident and had a hell of a time attempting to save it.]
Create the first part of lobster sauce. You’ll start by cutting the shells off the cold lobster tails with very sharp scissors, being careful to keep the lobster meat in tact. Set that lobster meat aside and chop the shells into pieces as shown above. You’ll cook the shells in the pan with some olive oil, which does require continuous stirring. When the shells turn red, add a splash of cognac (off the flame to avoid a circus act). If you don’t have cognac, substitute white wine. It’s going to give it a different flavor, but it won’t be a bad by any stretch.
When the alcohol has cooked down, add diced shallots, tomato paste, and stock (seafood, chicken, or vegetable will work). When the tomato pasta begins simmering, you’ll add some dry wine and cook that until it gets thick. Snag that garlic in the oven away from the tomatoes and slide out a few cloves. Mash that garlic around in the simmering sauce. Then you’re ready for the cream and herbs. That’s going to simmer while you remove the tomatoes from the oven and begin cooking the pasta and lobster meat.
What is the point of cooking the lobster shells?
It’s going to infuse some serious non-fishy flavor into your sauce. like my approach to soup broth, i create a strong sauce base to layer other flavors over. This gives the other flavors and ingredients a purpose (to add to or take away from the intensity of the base flavor).
Then cook the pasta and poach the lobster. Add your pasta to the boiling water. While the pasta is cooking, you’ll butter poach your lobster. Follow the directions in the recipe carefully. It requires a lot of butter, tempered carefully with a watchful eye on the thermometer. I like to add herbs to the butter for a little extra flavor. The entire process takes about 10-15 minutes total. When the lobster is finished, set lobster aside on a warm plate.
Almost to the finish line. Strain the sauce out into a dutch oven or a nonstick pot over very low heat. This will remove the shells from the sauce easily. Then strain the pasta (reserving 1-cup of water). Place the pasta in the dutch oven and coat using tongs. Slowly add some pasta water and continue mixing with the tongs to a medium consistency. Then add the parmesan, continuing to coat and mix the pasta and sauce together with the tongs.
Add the pasta to the plate. Top with the tomatoes and lobster using the tongs. Sprinkle with additional parsley and parmesan for garnish. I promise, this one will impress. You’re going to be mad at me for not creating a bigger recipe, but I think your waistline will forgive me. I can’t wait to see what yours looks like on Instagram! Good luck and happy new year, friends!
Recipe
date night
lobster linguine
Servings: 4 | Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Recommended Wine Pairing
An unoaked Chardonnay (Beringer produces a few good wines that are widely available across the US)
INGREDIENTS
linguine
1 lb. linguine
6 qt. water
2 tbsp. kosher salt
Butter poached lobster
4 fresh (or previously frozen) lobster tails - shells removed for sauce
2-3 tbsp cold water
1 cup butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 lemon wedges
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tbsp. chopped chives
Kosher salt
Black pepper
You’ll also need a thermometer!
Lobster Sauce
1 bulb garlic, sliced at the top
12 oz. cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp. olive oil
Shells from 4 lobster tails
1/2 c. cognac
2 shallots, diced
1/4 c. tomato paste
1/2 c. seafood stock
1 c. dry white wine
1 tbsp. oregano
1 tbsp. parsley
1 c. reserved pasta water
1/3 c. grated Parmesan
Kosher salt + black pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
First 5 minutes
Preheat oven to 450-degrees Fahrenheit.
In a mixing bowl, evenly coat cherry tomatoes with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Place the tomatoes on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil.
Cut the top third of a garlic bulb off. Discard the top and place the bottom of the bulb (sliced side up) onto the pan with the tomatoes.
Place in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes.
next 20 minutes
Remove the shells from the cold lobster tails with scissors. Cut straight down the shell and peel it away, but don’t be afraid to cut it however you need to in order to keep the meat intact. Gently remove the meat so it doesn’t break apart.
Add 2 tbsp. of olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat.
Cut or chop the shells into smaller pieces (about 2in x 2in) and add them to the oil when the oil is hot enough.
Stirring constantly, cook the shells in the oil for about 3 minutes. The lobster shells should be red.
Add the cognac to the pan. Please keep the pan off the burner for this part to avoid a fire hazard. I do not want to be responsible for your kitchen burning down.
After the cognac is done sizzling, place the pan back on the burner and add the diced shallots. Sauté for 2 minutes.
Add in the tomato paste and seafood stock.
Remove the garlic bulb from the oven. Using a fork, slide 3 garlic cloves out of the bulb and mash into the working sauce.
Simmer together for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan if you need to get anything unstuck. Cook until most of the wine has evaporated (about 5-7 minutes).
Remove the blistered tomatoes from the oven and turn off your oven.
Boil 4-6 qt. of salted water in a large pot.
Next 20 Minutes
In a separate saucepan, bring 2-3 tbs. of water to a simmer over medium heat.
Whisk in the cup of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Be careful not to let the butter boil (if you do, it will separate and we’re trying to keep the butter clarified). If you have a thermometer, the magic temperature is about 160-170 degrees. You do not want the butter to get over 175-degrees Fahrenheit.
Stir the lemon wedges, parsley, and chives into the butter mixture. Sprinkle a dash of salt and black pepper into the butter.
Before you begin cooking the lobster:
Warm a plate to put your lobster on when it’s finished. Do this by placing an oven-safe plate in your cooling oven, putting a plate in the microwave for 90 seconds, or running a plate under hot water and patting dry.
Add your pasta to the boiling water.
Add the raw lobster meat to the clarified butter. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, keeping the butter under 175-degrees at all times. Carefully spoon the butter over the tails and turn them after 3 minutes to ensure an even cook. The lobster meat should reach an internal temperature between 140-145° F.
Set the lobster aside on the warm plate.
Final 10 minutes
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
Strain the sauce with the lobster shells in a fine mesh strainer into a dutch oven. This will remove the shells easily.
Using tongs, toss the pasta with the sauce in the dutch oven. Continue until coated evenly. Gradually add as much pasta water as necessary to reach a medium consistency. You may not need to use the full cup.
Gradually sprinkle the Parmesan onto the pasta and continue tossing with the pasta until the cheese melts and the saucy appears consistent and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Plate the linguine and top with the tomatoes and lobster meat. Sprinkle additional parsley and Parmesan for garnish.
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