Confession: I used to hate lobster! But then my family began a tradition of going to Maine every summer for vacation, and that’s when my love affair with lobster began.
Now lobster is one of my favorite foods, partially for its nostalgic effect but mostly because of its incredibly unique sweet sea taste. How could I have ever hated it?!
So I decided to combine “lobstah” with beautifully al dente pasta. The addition of wilted leeks and chives cut the richness of a heavenly brown butter. Baby peas enhance the lobster’s sweetness while adding bursts of freshness.
Lobster Pasta with Leeks, Peas, and Chive Brown Butter…do I even need to convince you to try this recipe out?
Makes: 4 dinner portions
The Ingredients
1 lb tagliatelle (or farfalle if you prefer short pasta)
4 lobsters (1 1/4 pounds each)
3/4 cup snipped chives
1 package frozen baby peas
4 large leeks
8 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
The Steps
Preheat oven to 170 degrees.
For lobsters: In a large pot, boil lobsters for 10 minutes. Remove lobsters from boiling water and reserve lobster water. Remove lobsters from their shells, tearing meat into bite-sized pieces and placing in a heat-proof bowl. Add reserved lobster water to bowl until lobster meat is just covered. Place bowl of lobster meat in preheated oven.
Place frozen baby peas in a colander in a sink, and thaw and separate the peas with cold water. Let drain.
Trim leeks, removing root and dark green section. Wash and dry leeks, and cut each leek in half lengthwise and then across into 1/2 inch pieces.
For lobster mixture: In a large pot over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter and add chopped leaks. Let leeks sweat for 3-4 minutes. Add drained peas and drained lobster pieces.
For brown butter sauce: In a saucepan over low/medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. For 3-5 minutes, occasionally store butter until butter is a rich gold. Remove from heat.
For pasta: Boil tagliatelle in salted water. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Add pasta to lobster mixture. Add snipped chives, brown butter sauce, and enough pasta water to loosen pasta, creating a sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
The Steps with Pictures
Preheat oven to 170 degrees.
For lobsters: In a large pot, boil lobsters for 10 minutes. Remove lobsters from boiling water and reserve lobster water. Remove lobsters from their shells, tearing meat into bite-sized pieces and placing in a heat-proof bowl. Add reserved lobster water to bowl until lobster meat is just covered. Place bowl of lobster meat in preheated oven.
Place frozen baby peas in a colander in a sink, and thaw and separate the peas with cold water. Let drain.
Trim leeks, removing root and dark green section. Wash and dry leeks, and cut each leek in half lengthwise and then across into 1/2 inch pieces.
For lobster mixture: In a large pot over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter and add chopped leaks. Let leeks sweat for 3-4 minutes. Add drained peas and drained lobster pieces.
For brown butter sauce: In a saucepan over low/medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. For 3-5 minutes, occasionally store butter until butter is a rich gold. Remove from heat.
For pasta: Boil tagliatelle in salted water. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Add pasta to lobster mixture. Add snipped chives, brown butter sauce, and enough pasta water to loosen pasta, creating a sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
