Finished dish photo of Lobster Angel Hair Pasta [Amanda’s Bistro]

Lobster Angel Hair Pasta [Amanda’s Bistro]

It’s said that the 14th of every month is Valentine’s Day, and look, tomorrow is White Day again. Businesses really rack their brains trying to get everyone to buy and exchange more gifts. But for people who are in a relationship, finding an excuse to have a romantic dinner with your other half to deepen your bond is a pretty nice idea. If you’re single, you can start learning now and be prepared—having more skills is never a bad thing! This recipe looks luxurious but isn’t complicated, so even kitchen newbies can handle it with no pressure~

Ingredients

small lobster1 (about 500 g)
white onion1/4
celery30 g
carrot50 g
parsleya small handful
garlic cloves4 cloves
butter25 g
white wine250 ml
canned tomatoes200 g
angel hair pasta140 g
saltto taste
freshly ground black pepperto taste
olive oilto taste

Steps

1

Dice the carrot, celery, and onion finely. Chop the parsley, and crush one clove of garlic into a paste.

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2

Add a little pepper, a pinch of salt, chopped parsley, and garlic paste to the softened butter and mix well. Set aside.

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3

Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).

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4

Cut the small lobster: place the tip of the knife at the horizontal indentation in the middle of the head shell and cut toward the head.

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5

Turn it around and cut from the existing cut along the body toward the tail.

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6

Split the lobster into two halves and remove the vein (intestinal tract).

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7

Heat a frying pan over high heat, add olive oil, then add 2 whole cloves of garlic and pan-fry briefly.

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8

Place the lobster in the pan, cut side down, and sear for 1 minute, then flip.

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9

Sear each side for 1 minute, then remove from the pan and turn off the heat.

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10

Scoop out the lobster tomalley (head “brains”) and set aside.

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11

Spread the prepared parsley butter over the lobster meat.

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12

Place the lobster in the preheated oven and bake for 6–8 minutes.

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13

Add the carrot, celery, and onion to the pan and sauté in the oil used for searing the lobster.

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14

Add the reserved lobster tomalley.

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15

When the vegetables soften, add the canned tomatoes.

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16

Stir-fry until the tomatoes are fragrant, then pour in the white wine.

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17

Add a bowl of hot water and simmer for a while.

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18

In another pot, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a small spoonful of salt.

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19

Once the water boils, add the pasta.

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20

Pour the sauce into a blender and blend until smooth.

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21

Strain the sauce back into the pan, season with salt, and simmer a little longer.

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22

Remove the baked lobster from the oven.

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23

Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the sauce.

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24

Toss the pasta in the sauce until it is well coated.

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25

Plate the dish: pick up an appropriate amount of pasta and twirl it onto one side of the plate.

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26

Place half a lobster on top of the pasta and drizzle with a little olive oil.

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27

Garnish with cherry tomatoes and some decorative herbs.

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28

Done.

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Cooking Tips

1. When cutting the lobster, insert the knife at the midpoint of the horizontal indentation on the head. 2. Use a knife that can handle hard shells when cutting the lobster to avoid damaging your knife. I previously wrote an article introducing Japanese kitchen knives → click here to see the introduction to Japanese kitchen knives. 3. Adding the lobster tomalley to the sauce makes it more flavorful and aromatic. 4. Angel hair pasta is a very thin pasta, suitable for lighter sauces and pairs especially well with seafood. If you can’t find angel hair, you can use regular spaghetti or flat linguine instead. 5. Blending the sauce until smooth is mainly for a cleaner, more refined look on the finished pasta. If you don’t really mind, you can skip this step. 6. Do not rinse the cooked pasta in cold water; pasta that’s been rinsed is harder for the sauce to cling to. 7. Cherry tomatoes work wonders for almost any plating. For the finishing herbs, you can use dill, fennel fronds, parsley, or any other herbs you like.