Last night's dinner. I found this recipe in a copy of the Guardian I picked up at Heathrow once; based on the URL, it must have been at the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in April 2007 on my way home from a trip to Bristol (the one in England, not the one where the speedway is). This was very good. I didn’t have any red chilies, so instead I used two teaspoons of
Captain Mowatt's Canceaux Sauce. For the white wine, I used Fox Meadow Pinot Grigio. Their Le Renard Gris (a Pinot Gris) might have gone a little better due to the heat from the hot sauce, but they are out of that one and the winery's owner suggested the Pinot Grigio instead.
Instead of live lobsters, I used half a pound of cooked lobster I had gotten as part of a much larger order from Downeast Dayboat (which is also where I got the hot sauce). Not having to cook the lobsters and remove the meat sure simplifies the process big time!
Source for recipe (there are other interesting pasta recipes in the same article):
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2007/apr/29/foodanddrink.features10Lobster spaghetti
When we put this on the menu at the Connaught, it was an instant bestseller. In fact, if we take it off we always get regular customers requesting it. Except for grilling, this is undoubtedly the best way to eat lobster. Use very fresh tomatoes for the sauce, and have only a touch of it—you mustn't overwhelm the delicate lobster. Always use dried spaghetti for this dish—it has a better consistency and is less sticky than fresh pasta.
Serves 4
2 live lobsters about 600–800g each
300g dried spaghetti
50ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 fresh red chillies, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 spring onions, finely chopped
3 tbsp white wine
4 large plum tomatoes, quartered, seeded and cut into 1cm dice
2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil (chopped at last minute)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the lobsters in the freezer for a couple of hours before you cook them. This will send them to sleep.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and then drop in your lobsters. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the lobsters have turned bright red in colour. Remove and set aside to drain and cool a little.
To remove the meat from the lobster, first twist off each claw and leg joint. Using lobster crackers or the back of a heavy knife, crack the claw and then twist out the lobster meat. Peel off the shell to access all the meat inside. Next twist the tail from the body by bending it back. Squeeze the sides of the tail together until they crack, and pull the tail meat out in one go. Remove the dark vein running down the back of the tail. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for 7-8 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until al dente.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in another large pan and add the chillies, garlic and spring onions. Season well and cook gently, stirring, for 1-2 minutes without colouring. Add the lobster meat and then the wine. Add a little more seasoning, then allow the wine to bubble and reduce right down for 2-3 minutes. Don't cook for longer than this or the lobster will go rubbery. Add the tomatoes, cook for one minute, then remove from the heat. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Toss well, then stir in the herbs, season to taste and serve drizzled with olive oil.