We’re making the most of the butter in this dish! Not only does it delicately poach the lobster tails, but it then becomes the base of the sauce and helps crisp up the crackers for the topping. This seemingly rich dish tastes bring and light because of the addition of the lemon zest and juice and the peppery bite from the arugula.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 40 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 4 lobster tails, meat removed from shells (about 1 pound of meat)
- 25 butter-flavored crackers, such as Ritz
- Kosher salt
- 12 ounces pappardelle
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 cups arugula
Instructions
- Add the butter to a straight-sided skillet and heat over medium-low heat until just melted. Add the lobster tails and cook, flipping occasionally, until opaque and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, making sure not to let the butter come to more than a light simmer to ensure it doesn’t brown. Remove the tails to a plate to cool slightly.
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and strain the butter. Discard any solids and reserve the butter. Once the lobster is cool enough to handle, cut into bite-size pieces and set aside.
- Add the crackers to a zip-top bag and crush by hand. The pieces can vary in size, with no pieces larger than a pea. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved butter to a pan over medium heat. Add the cracker crumbs and cook until lightly browned and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the crumbs to a plate to cool. They will crisp up more as they cool.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- To a large straight-sided skillet, add the remaining reserved butter and heat over medium low. Add the garlic, shallots, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic and shallots are softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the lobster pieces and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Add the cooked pasta to the lobster mixture with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss until everything is evenly incorporated and the noodles are glossy. Turn off the heat and add the arugula and lemon juice. Toss to combine and slightly wilt the arugula.
- To serve, add the pasta to bowls and top with the cracker crumbs. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 650 |
| Total Fat | 36 g |
| Saturated Fat | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 56 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 26 g |
| Cholesterol | 208 mg |
| Sodium | 582 mg |
Reviews
I thought this was very bland and boring tasting. I love most of Valerie’s recipes, just didn’t care for this one.
AMAZINGLY AS IS.. big hit ! Thank you Valerie . Next time I’m going to add shrimp
Made this for dinner tonight. O.M.G. It is DELICIOUS! Followed the recipe to a T. It was amazing!!