Description
This Squid Ink Pasta with Lobster Champagne Cream Sauce, with its luxurious flavors and easy-to-follow instructions, elevates any special occasion, or weeknight dinner. The marriage of tender lobster and velvety champagne cream sauce atop squid ink pasta guarantees a dining experience that’s both sophisticated, and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound fresh cooked lobster meat
- 8.8 ounces squid ink pasta
- 1 1/4 cup champagne
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup lobster stock
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 shallot, diced
- 3/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons fresh torn basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black peppercorns
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the fresh lobster meat. Alternatively, cook whole lobsters and/or lobster tails and extract the meat.
- Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter in a deep saucepan, then add diced shallots and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the champagne and let it reduce by half. Strain out the shallots, and discard.
- Return the reduced liquid to the pan, add the halved cherry tomatoes. Season with a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Incorporate lobster stock and heavy cream, letting the mixture reduce until thickened and coating the back of a spoon (about 5-8 minutes).
- As the sauce reduces, cook the squid ink pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.
- Once the sauce thickens, add lobster meat, remaining butter, and cracked peppercorns. Warm through.
- Divide the cooked pasta into four bowls. Top generously with the champagne lobster sauce.
- Garnish with fresh torn basil and additional cracked peppercorns.
- ENJOY!
Notes
- Opt for fresh, cooked lobster meat, a good quality champagne or brut and ripe cherry tomatoes.
- If you cannot locate fresh lobster meat, cook the equivalent in whole or lobster tails.
- As a last resort, use frozen lobster meat. However, the texture will not be the same as using fresh.
- Strain the shallot from the champagne reduction, as you only want for flavor.
- Patience is key when reducing the sauce.
- For perfect timing, start cooking the pasta after adding the stock and cream to the champagne reduction.
- Taste the sauce before seasoning with additional salt, as the stock and lobster contain enough salt.
- Cook the squid ink pasta just to al dente.
- Feel free to substitute squid ink pasta with linguine, fettuccini or spaghetti.
- Do NOT add pasta water to the sauce, as this will not make for a great presentation.
- Add the cooked lobster to the sauce at the end only to warm through.
- Plate the al dente pasta first, then spoon on the lobster cream sauce.
- Serve immediately.
- Easily double the recipe if serving a larger crowd.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Freezing leftovers is not recommended.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Pasta
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Seafood, Pasta