Just a quick reminder to watch me on QVC tonight at 8:30pm EST. You can pick up a copy of my new book, due out next month. See you live, friends!
Lobster seems to be having a moment this summer. Maybe it’s just me — alone in the corner with a lobster tail in my mitts and butter dripping down my elbows — but I’m not apologizing for loving it.
I had a box of lobster tails in the freezer (thanks to my partnership with Omaha Steaks), and I pictured them in a rich, creamy sauce. I often take a shortcut when making creamy pasta: instead of a long stovetop sauce, I stir a big scoop of mascarpone into the hot pasta pot so it melts into a silky coating. I’ve used the same trick before with yogurt in my 5-ingredient creamy bacon pasta, but lobster calls for something even more indulgent — enter mascarpone.
This recipe relies on just five main ingredients and is simple enough for an easy date-night dinner.
When I first moved to Northern California, Trader Joe’s was nowhere to be found. I still call that the dark days. Now I live near several Trader Joe’s and pick up an 8-ounce tub of mascarpone every week for about $3 — a steal compared with regular grocery stores, which can charge $6–8. For this recipe you only need half the tub, so save the rest to make a classic Tiramisu for Two.
Do your part to keep this the summer of lobster. Deal?
Dinner for Two: Creamy Lobster and Shells
This lobster pasta is an easy, elegant date-night meal for two — creamy, bright, and ready in under an hour.
20 minutes
30 minutes
50 minutes
Ingredients
- oil
- 2 ears corn, husked and cleaned
- 2 lobster tails, trimmed
- 6 ounces dried pasta shells
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese
- handful of fresh chives
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. When hot, char the corn evenly on all sides. You can also char the cobs directly over a gas flame. Let cool, then cut the kernels from the cob.
- Oil the grill or grill pan and place the lobster tails on it. Cook 5–10 minutes on the first side, then flip and continue until the tails are opaque and cooked through. Check the meat near the end to ensure doneness.
- Remove the lobster from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
- Use kitchen shears to cut down the center of each lobster tail on both sides. Pry the meat from the shell and chop into large pieces.
- Toss the hot pasta with a splash of the reserved pasta water, the lobster, the corn, mascarpone, salt, and pepper. Stir until the mascarpone melts and coats everything evenly. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Top with snipped chives and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 675
Total Fat: 37g
Saturated Fat: 17g
Trans Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 16g
Cholesterol: 154mg
Sodium: 1231mg
Carbohydrates: 54g
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 7g
Protein: 35g
Did you make this recipe?
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