Butter-poached lobster with bucatini
A rich and luxurious lobster pasta. Perfect for a special occasion or date night treat.
For this recipe you will need a heavy duty blender, a cook's thermometer and a clean muslin cloth.
Ingredients
- 4 uncooked lobster tails (in their shells)
For the lobster stock
- 25g/1oz butter
- 1 small brown onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stick, chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- shells from 2–3 lobster tails (see above)
- 1 tomato, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp brandy
- 60ml/2fl oz dry white wine
- 1 litre chicken stock
For the butter-poached lobster tails
- 100ml/3½fl oz olive oil
- 250g/9oz salted butter
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 raw lobster tails (from above)
For the bucatini and lobster stock dressing
- 400g/14oz bucatini pasta
- 150g/5½oz brown shrimp
- handful freshly chopped flatleaf parsley
- 2 sprigs tarragon, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zest only
- salt and freshy ground black pepper
Method
First prepare the lobster tails. To remove the shells from the lobster tails, use a pair of heavy-duty kitchen scissors and make a cut along the bottom and top of the shell. Gently remove the shell by placing your thumb in between the shell and the flesh and pushing to separate one from the other. Carefully remove the dark intestinal 'vein' that runs along the top of the tails. Repeat with the remaining tails. Set aside the tail flesh. Reserve all the shells for making the stock.
To make the stock, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, celery and thyme and fry over a medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes.
Add the lobster shells to the pan and fry for 2 minutes. Add the tomato, tomato purée and cayenne pepper. Fry for a minute more.
Add the brandy, white wine and chicken stock. Bring to the boil briefly, then lower the heat and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.
Transfer the stock to a heavy-duty blender. In batches, if necessary, blend to a coarse purée. Strain through a muslin-lined sieve into a clean pan, squeezing out as much of the liquid as you can. The stock is now ready to use or freeze for later use.
Now poach the lobster tails. In a small-medium saucepan gently heat the oil, butter, vinegar and garlic. Whisk until combined. Heat to 70C using a cook's thermometer. Place the prepared tails in the butter mixture and poach for 7 minutes. Slice as desired ready for serving.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions.
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, boil the lobster stock vigorously until the volume of liquid is reduced to 350ml/12fl oz. Once reduced, stir in the butter.
When the pasta is cooked, drain well and return to the pan. While the pasta is still hot, add 200ml/7fl oz of the still-hot stock and stir through to coat evenly.
Stir in the brown shrimp, parsley, tarragon and lemon zest. Divide the dressed pasta between 4 plates and carefully arrange the sliced lobster tail on top. Drizzle over the remaining reduced stock to finish. Serve immediately.
