Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs Whole Raw Lobster (or 4 large raw lobster tails)
  • 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter (for stock)
  • 1 Shallot, coarsely chopped (for stock)
  • 3 cups Cold Water
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
  • 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter (for sauce)
  • 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 medium Shallots, finely diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp Tomato Paste
  • 1/2 cup Dry White Wine (e.g., Chablis, Pinot Grigio)
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream (Double Cream, 35% fat minimum)
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 lb Tagliatelle or Linguine pasta
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
  • 1 Lemon (half juiced, half sliced)

Instructions:

  1. Cook the Lobster: Steam or boil the lobsters until bright red and cooked through (approx. 8–10 minutes for tails, 12–15 minutes for whole lobsters).
  2. Shell and Chill: Immediately plunge the cooked lobster into an ice bath to stop cooking. Once cool, carefully remove all the meat. Roughly chop the meat and set it aside. Crucially: Reserve all the shells (including legs and heads).
  3. Make the Quick Stock: In the stockpot, melt 1 tbsp butter. Sauté the chopped shallot until fragrant. Add the reserved lobster shells, cold water, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
  4. Strain the Stock: Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the shells. Measure and reserve 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the concentrated stock.
  5. Sauté Aromatics: In the large skillet, melt the remaining 3 tbsp butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely diced shallots and cook until soft and translucent (about 3 minutes). Add the minced garlic and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  6. Deglaze: Pour in the white wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine by half.
  7. Build the Cream Base: Pour in the heavy cream and the reserved 1/4 cup of lobster stock. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat and let the sauce thicken slightly, stirring frequently (about 5–7 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Cook the Pasta: While the sauce is reducing, cook the tagliatelle in heavily salted boiling water until al dente (usually 1-2 minutes less than package instructions).
  9. Drain and Reserve: Drain the pasta, but reserve at least 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
  10. Combine and Emulsify: Add the cooked pasta directly into the sauce in the skillet. Toss thoroughly. If the sauce looks too thick, add the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking vigorously until the sauce perfectly coats the pasta strands.
  11. Finish the Dish: Gently fold in the chopped lobster meat and the grated Parmesan cheese. Heat through for 1–2 minutes. Squeeze in a dash of fresh lemon juice.
  12. Serve: Divide immediately onto warmed plates. Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley and a thin slice of lemon.