Lobster Fra Diavalo With Ricotta Cavatelli Recipes

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• This first part might not be pleasant, but it'll be over quickly: Working with 1 lobster at a time, place on a cutting board, belly side down, with head facing you (freezing them 8-10 minutes first will render them fairly immobile). Insert a chef's knife where the tail meets the head, and swiftly bisect head lengthwise in one fell swoop (leave tail intact). Using the back of a cleaver or a lobster cracker, crack each claw on all sides. Twist off tails and cut in half through shells lengthwise. Remove any tomalley or eggs (reserve if you like). Twist off knuckles and claws, then separate knuckles from claws using cleaver.
• Heat 1/3 cup oil in a wide Dutch oven or heavy pot that's large enough to hold pasta over medium-high. Season lobsters with salt and, working in separate batches and being careful not to overcrowd pot, sear lobster pieces, turning occasionally and adding more oil if pot looks dry, until shells are bright red, about 4 minutes for knuckles, claws, and tails; about 6 minutes for heads. Transfer lobsters to a rimmed baking sheet; let cool slightly. Remove pot from heat and add brandy. Return to heat and cook, scraping up browned bits, until smell of alcohol is almost gone, about 2 minutes. Transfer brandy mixture to a small bowl. Pick lobster meat from knuckles and claws; discard shells. Place in an airtight container with tails; cover and chill until ready to use. Set heads aside. Wipe out pot and reserve.
• Working in batches, pulse onions, carrots, and fennel separately in a food processor until finely chopped; transfer vegetables to a large bowl after each is chopped. Heat remaining 1/3 cup oil in reserved pot over medium-high. Cook vegetables, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, chiles, and 1 tsp. red pepper flakes and cook, smashing garlic with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly darkened, about 3 minutes. Add wine and reserved lobster heads; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by one-third, about 2 minutes. Add tomato purée to pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes. Discard lobster heads.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente. Drain, reserving 3 cups pasta cooking liquid.
• Add butter, chilled lobster meat, lobster tails, pasta, reserved brandy mixture, and 2 cups pasta cooking liquid to sauce. Cook, tossing to combine and adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Because you're working with a large amount of pasta and sauce, this will take effort-toss using a long sturdy spoon in each hand, and make sure to get to the bottom of pot as you go. Add parsley and lemon juice, then transfer pasta to a platter, arranging lobster tails on top. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
• Do Ahead
• Lobsters can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot two-thirds full with cold water; set over high heat. Bring to a boil. Add lobsters and return to a boil, let cook about 12 minutes. Using tongs, remove lobsters, and transfer to a platter or large bowl. Using kitchen scissors, trim the tip of each lobster claw; allow the liquid to drain, and discard. Split lobsters lengthwise.
• In a large skillet, bring Fra Diavolo sauce to a boil over medium-high heat; add wine. Transfer lobster to skillet and spoon sauce over lobster. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
• Divide lobster evenly between two plates. Serve immediately with linguine and topped with sauce.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• Put the tomatoes and juice into a saucepan and boil hard until reduced by half. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh butter. Set aside until needed.
• Melt the lobster butter in a skillet and cook the garlic in it over low heat until transparent but not browned. Add Cognac and flame.
• Add white wine and lobster stock and boil hard until reduced by at least half.
• Add lobster meat, season to taste with salt, pepper and red pepper and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to a saucelike consistency. Serve over pasta.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, and saute over medium heat until they begin to brown. Stir in the pepper flakes and oregano. Stir in stock, tomato paste and bay leaf. Pour the canned tomatoes into a strainer held over the saucepan so that you add the juice but not the pulp. Chop the pulp; then, add it to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, and cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes. Season to taste with black pepper. Set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil in a large saute pan. Add lobster pieces, and sear them over high heat, turning often, until the shells are bright red.
• While the lobster is searing, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the linguine.
• Spoon the sauce over the lobster, bring to a simmer and cook, partly covered, about 10 minutes.
• While the lobster is cooking in the sauce, add the linguine to the boiling water, and cook about 7 minutes, until al dente. Drain well.
• To serve, transfer the lobster pieces coated with sauce to one side of a large platter, leaving some of the sauce in the pan. Sprinkle with half the parsley.
• Add the drained linguine to the sauce in the pan, and reheat briefly, stirring to coat the linguine. Transfer to the platter alongside the lobster, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• 1. Pour the tomatoes, with all their juices, into a food processor and pulse until well blended. Set aside.
• 2. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the lobster pieces, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently (and adding more oil if needed), until the lobster turns bright red, 10 to 12 minutes.
• 3. Add the shallots and garlic to the lobster, and toss with tongs. Add the wine and cognac, and cook over medium heat, turning the lobster carefully with tongs, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Then add the bell pepper, jalape&ntilede;o, processed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, 6 tablespoons of the parsley, and the basil and oregano. Simmer (do not boil), stirring occasionally, over medium to medium-low heat until the flavors blend together, 20 minutes.
• 4. While the mixture is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghettini and cook until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, and set aside.
• 5. To serve, make delicate swirls of spaghettini in the center of four shallow pasta bowls. Arrange the lobster tails and claws, with the sauce, on top of the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley. Serve the lobster bodies and legs in a separate bowl and let the guests help themselves. Serve immediately, with plenty of napkins.