Spaghetti with Lobster

If you are frequent reader of Sisters Running the Kitchen, it is no secret that Marc Vetri is one of our favorite chefs.  We have reviews of his three restaurants in Philadelphia under our Philadelphia Restaurant Review tab (Osteria, Vetri, & Amis).  Recently we purchased Marc Vetri’s cookbook and we have already experimented with a few of his recipes.  On a recent Sunday afternoon, Mary and her boyfriend Todd decided to make Vetri’s Spaghetti with Lobster.  After purchasing the necessary ingredients including a 2.75 lb. live lobster, they got down to work making Lobster Stock from scratch.  This task  may seem overwhelming but trust us, the results are outstanding.  They purchased homemade spaghetti from a local italian store.  Feel free to make your own pasta or use dry pasta.

Spaghetti with Lobster – makes 6 servings

Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 can (29 ounces) plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, with juice, crushed by hand
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Lobster and Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 2 live lobsters (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil
• 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1 cup Lobster Stock (recipe below)
• 1 pound Spaghetti
• 10 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (narrow strips), plus 12 small basil leaves for garnish
• 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the Tomato Sauce…

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute for about 4 minutes, or until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the tomatoes and their juice and crush them lightly.
3. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for about 45 minutes, or until the tomatoes fall apart completely.
4. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.  Puree with an immersion blender, stand mixer, or food processor. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.  You should have about 3 cups of sauce.

For the Lobster and Spaghetti…

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Place live lobster in boiling water.  Cook for a few minutes or until the shell begins to turn red.
3. Take lobster out of water and onto cutting board.  Allow to cool for a few minutes.
4. Split the lobster in half lengthwise: Uncurl the tail and lay it flat on a cutting board.  Insert a chef’s knife behind the head and cut the shell in half lengthwise.  Turn the lobster onto its back and insert your knife into the abdomen where the tail meets the thorax and cut down to split the head end of the lobster in half.  Reverse directions and split the tail end in half.  Separate the halves.  Carefully remove the separate the shell from the meat.  Save the shells and place in a bowl.  Save the meat, cut into chunks,  season with salt and pepper, and place in a separate bowl.
5. At this point, you can start to make the Lobster Stock (recipe below) with the shells of the lobster.
6. In a large saute pan, heat the grape seed oil over medium heat.
7. When hot, place the lobster meat in pan and cook 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the chili flakes and brandy and carefully ignite the brandy by tipping the pan toward the flame and then immediately returning it to a flat position on the burner (or ignite the brandy with a long match).
8. Allow the flame to die, and then add 1 cup of the tomato sauce and stock.
9. Cover and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until the lobster meat is opaque and cooked through.
10. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions.
11. Drain the spaghetti, add to the sauce along with the basil chiffonade and enough olive oil to make the sauce creamy, and toss for a minute or two until the pasta absorbs some of the sauce and the sauce is creamy.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.
12. Place the spaghetti & lobster in bowls and garnish with whole basil leaves.

Lobster Stock

Makes 3 cups.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon grape seed oil
• Shells from 2 Lobsters
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 3/4 cup canned plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 to 4 cups water
• 1/2 lemon
• 5 black peppercorns
• 7 parsley stems
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add the lobster shells and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they turn bright red.
2. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender but not browned.
3. Add the tomatoes, pour in the wine, and scrape the pan bottom.
4. Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
5. Add enough water to cover the ingredients, and then squeeze in the lemon juice.
6. Combine the peppercorns, parsley stems, and bay leaf on a piece of cheesecloth or a coffee filter, bring the edges together, and tie securely with kitchen string.  Add the sachet to the pan, adjust the heat so the liquid remains just under a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes.  Skim the stock every 10 minutes to remove any impurities.
7. Remove the lobster shells and herb sachet.  Using an immersion blender, stand blender, or food processor, puree the stock in the pan.
8. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container.
9. Use immediately, or let cool, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 2 days.  Stock can be frozen for up to 1 month.

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Tagged as: Lobster Stock, Marc Vetri, Spaghetti with Lobster