This is a great recipe to use a small lobster. As you are making a stock with the shell, you create a lot of lobster flavour which is perfect with the tagliatelle as is absorbs it really well. The addition of the courgettes gives it a juicy texture too. Try this recipe now as lobster prices are at their lowest this time of year. Have a good weekend!
Ingredients - serves four starter portions
250g tagliatelle
1x600g lobster (cooked)
2 medium sized courgettes (cut into long strips similar thickness and size as the tagliatelle)
2 tblsp chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tblsp tomato passata
1 clove of garlic ( finely chopped)
10 datterini or cherry tomato cut into 1/4s
1 tsp chopped fresh chilli
Method
With a sharp knife cut the lobster in half and remove the meat from the tail and brown meat from the head - leave to one side. Crack the claws with the heal of a knife and remove all the meat. When there is no lobster meat left in the shell, take all the shells and put them in a pan and break them up. Add 1/2 litre of cold water and bring to the boil with 1/2 a head of fennel a few parsley stalks and 2 tblsp of tomato passata. Reduce on the heat so you are left with just 1/3 of liquid so you have an intense lobster stock. Pass through a fine sieve and leave to one side.
In a large saute of frying pan add 2 tblsp of olive oil and gently fry the lobster with the garlic red chilli cherry tomatoes and parsley. Cook for 2 mins and season. Cook the courgettes and the pasta at the same time for a couple of minutes. Add the reduced lobster stock to the saute pan then drain and add the cooked tagliatelle and courgettes. Cook and toss until the sauce has thickened from the starch of the pasta and the reduction of the liquid from the cooking. Add a dash of good olive oil and check the seasoning. Serve with a glass of chilled Falanghina.