Level up your pasta date night with this Lemon Garlic Creamy Lobster Linguine recipe. It's easier than you think to make and it is no doubt a showstopper!
Prepping the Lobster (ignore if using just lobster tails)
If your lobster is frozen, thaw before prep.
Start with twisting the claws off the lobster. It should come off fairly easily. Then crack the shell of the claws using a lobster cracker*
Using a sharp knife, split the lobster body into halves.
Making the Compound Butter
Mix together all the compound butter ingredients until fully combined.
2 tbsp Butter, 2 cloves Garlic, 2 tsp Smoky BBQ Seasoning, ½ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Black Pepper, 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley Leaves
Spread the compound butter over the lobster.
Cooking the Lobster
If using cooked lobster, simply flash-grill the lobster over high heat for 1 minute for each side till the compound butter has melted and is fragrant. Remove from pan and set aside.
1 Whole Lobster (400g)*
If cooking the lobster from raw, grill the lobster, flesh side down, over high heat for 3-5 minutes until slightly charred. Then flip and keep basting the lobster with the compound butter melted in the pan. The lobster is ready when the flesh is opaque and slightly firm to the touch. Remove from pan and set aside.
Making the Creamy Lemon Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to boil and season generously with salt. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve at least ½ cup of pasta water.
220 g Linguine Pasta
Heat cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook garlic and red chilli flakes (if using) for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3 cloves Garlic, ½ tsp Red Chilli Flakes, 1 tbsp Cooking Oil
Add chopped shallots and saute for 5 minutes until golden.
2 Enchallion Shallots*
Deglaze the pan with chicken broth and allow it to bubble until the liquid has reduced. Season with salt and black pepper.
Salt & Black Pepper, ¼ cup Chicken Broth
Stir in the double cream and simmer for a few minutes.
1 cup Double Cream
Add butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. Then add in the reserved pasta water.
1 lemon Lemon Zest, ½ lemon Lemon Juice, ½ cup Reserved Pasta Water, 1 tbsp Butter
Toss in cooked pasta until combined. Mix in grated Italian Hard Cheese till melted and garnish with fresh parsley leaves.
½ cup Fresh Parsley Leaves, ½ cup Italian Hard Cheese*
Top the pasta with the grilled lobster and serve immediately with any remaining melted compound butter as an extra sauce on the side.
Notes
*Lobster can be already cooked or raw. You can use lobster tails instead of whole lobster if you like.*If you don't have shallots, simply substitute with 1 medium onion*Alternatives to using a lobster cracker to crack the lobster shell include using a food hammer or the butt of a knife. *Vegetarian Italian Hard Cheese is a halal substitute for Parmesan Cheese. Use whichever you prefer.Other notes:
Reserving pasta water is key to pretty much any pasta recipe. This is very important for both flavouring, thickening and binding the sauce.
Deglazing the pan is key to flavouring the cream sauce
Adding butter towards the end of the cooking process helps to add a luxurious silky richness to the pasta sauce. The emulsification also helps to bind the sauce to the pasta as well.