Birthday dinner course 2: Lobster pasta with herbed cream sauce

This recipe is from Bon Appétit December 2004


If you want to seriously impress your friends and family this is the dish to make. Don't be intimidated...its very, very easy and takes almost no time at all. The best part is that it can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.



* Note: Recipe serves 6. I cut it in half for 2 people and it was the perfect amount. I bought two 7 oz lobster tails. I didn't want to fuss with the live ones (and the screaming...ack!)

3 1 3/4-pound live lobsters * see note
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 large plum tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 fresh tarragon sprigs
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh Italian parsley sprigs
6 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 pounds fettuccine or linguine (using fresh pasta is best)

Bring very large pot of salted water to boil. Add lobsters. Boil until cooked through, about 12 minutes (or cook in batches, if necessary). Using tongs, transfer lobsters to large rimmed baking sheet. Remove meat from tail and claws; place meat in medium bowl. Remove any roe from bodies and place in small bowl. Cover and chill meat and roe (if any). Remove tomalley (green matter) from bodies and discard. Reserve bodies and shells.

If only using lobster tails, boil them in large pot of salted water for 10 min. When done remove from pot and allow to cool. Remove meat from shells. Cover and refrigerate. Reserve shells for sauce.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add reserved lobster bodies and shells. Sauté 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add tomato paste; stir 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, wine, vinegar, garlic, tarragon, thyme, and parsley. Add cream; boil 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Simmer just until lobster flavor infuses cream, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Strain sauce into large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard contents of strainer. (Lobster and sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.)

Transfer sauce to heavy large saucepan. Cut lobster meat into bite-size pieces; coarsely crumble roe, if using. Add to sauce. Gently rewarm over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; return pasta to pot. Add sauce; toss over medium-high heat until sauce coats pasta, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large shallow bowl and serve. Garnish with tarragon sprigs if desired.

{Review}

This dish was really good and looked fancy although it was very easy to make. It would be great for any special occasion, holiday or dinner party.

I recently discovered the New England Lobster Company in South San Francisco. This made buying the tails really convenient. I know sometimes they are hard to find. If you don't have a fresh seafood store near you try Costco.

Husband approved for sure

{Serve with}

Beet and Stilton salad with orange vinaigrette


{Time}
30 min