Description
Indulge in the luxurious flavors of butter-poached lobster tails, served over linguine in a decadent beurre monté sauce. This elegant dish is perfect for a special occasion or a romantic dinner at home.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Lobster Tails:
- 8 4–ounce (113-gram) lobster tails
Poaching Liquid:
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
- 16 tablespoons (224 grams) butter, cut into 16 pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon truffle salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Additional:
- 1 pound linguine
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Remove the tails from their shells: Use kitchen shears to cut all the way down the underside of the shell and then pry the shell open like a book. Wiggle your thumb between the meat and the top of the shell and remove the meat in one piece by gently but firmly prying it out of the open shell. If you see a ‘vein’ (actually the digestive tract) running down the center of the tail, cut a slit into the underside of the tail and remove the vein.
- Make the poaching liquid / beurre monté: Set a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat (180°F if you have an induction burner or other way of keeping the heat constant). Pour in the water and let it heat up a bit. Add one piece of butter and whisk into the water until melted. Then whisk in the second piece.
Add the garlic, truffle salt, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf and whisk to incorporate.
One by one, whisk in the remaining pieces of butter, waiting for each one to melt before adding the next. Use an instant-read thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature of the beurre monté. You’ll need to keep it between 160°F and 189°F, aiming for 180°F. - Add lobster tails and poach: When all butter is incorporated, add lobster tails in a single, snug layer. Poach until opaque throughout, turning every 1-2 minutes, for a total of about 6 minutes.
- Prepare linguine: Meanwhile, boil the linguine in well-salted water according to package instructions.
- Final steps: If serving straight from the pan, sprinkle on the lemon juice, pepper, and parsley, and serve. If serving over pasta, remove tails to a plate and discard bay leaf. Add lemon juice, pepper, and parsley to the pan with the poaching liquid and stir to incorporate. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat. Serve by placing some pasta into each serving bowl, top with two lobster tails, and enjoy!
Notes
- Cold-water lobster tails have better flavor and texture. See the detailed section in the post above to learn more. You can use any size tails, but smaller ones are usually more affordable and easy to serve multiples.
- Fresh seafood is ideal, but flash-frozen cold water tails work well too if defrosted properly.
- Use a good cultured butter for best results. Kerrygold butter is a recommended option.
- Truffle salt can be substituted with regular fine sea salt. Adjust salt level to taste.
- Poached lobster meat is very tender compared to boiled lobster, so cook until opaque throughout.
- This dish is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to four days and reheated gently before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 lobster tail with pasta
- Calories: Approximately 650 kcal
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 200mg
