I have just finished eating what is probably the best pasta dish I have ever eaten and definitely the most decadent. It came about through Neil having a soccer game scheduled for a Saturday night, which I made no attempt to hide the fact that I think is LUDICROUS!
I think Saturday nights are not for running around fields in the dark and pouring rain getting muddy with other guys (hmm?), they are for eating good food and drinking good beverages, hopefully in the company of good friends. But such is Neil's devotion to his team and the beautiful game itself, I was left alone tonight, and decided to make myself something very nice to eat as compensation.
Having had a disappointing steak and lobster meal at a restaurant last night, (great steak, rubbery, chewy lobster), I decided to use the small lobster tail I bought yesterday and make myself some pasta.
What transpired was a dream of a dish containing lobster and prawns with a sherry cream sauce. If this wasn't luxurious enough, I decided to add some very expensive truffle cream paste that I bought from a food festival and then top it all with some extra white truffle butter. The sweetness of the lobster and prawns was perfect with the alcoholic wine-y-ness of the sherry with its slight bitterness. This was all complemented with the creaminess of the butter and cream and the truffle sauce which added that unique mushroom-y, earthy, floral taste. I added some capers to give it a little ping and take the edge off the richness and some paprika sprinkled over at the end to add an element of spice.
This recipe is not for anyone on a low fat diet, lactose intolerant, trying to eat healthily, or easily embarrassed by sheer, unadulterated decadence. (In my defense, the pasta was low carb, so shellfish, cream and butter is OK for me and permitted on my diet). Ha!
Linguine with lobster and prawns in a sherry, cream and truffle sauce. (Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue)!
(A long ingredient list but so worth it!)
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp oil
1 tsp butter
1/2 cup sherry (I used Marsala, something dry is good)
1 tsp truffle and Pecorino cream (optional, obviously)
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp chicken stock paste or 2 tbsp chicken stock
4 broccolini heads, boiled for 2 minutes in the microwave
3 pieces asparagus, sliced finely and boiled for 2 minutes in the microwave.
1/2 tsp capers
1 small lobster tail, removed from shell and cut into small pieces
4 raw large prawns, removed from shells and cut in half
1/2 tsp white truffle butter or 1/8 tsp white truffle oil
freshly ground black pepper
paprika
linguine for one (yes, this is for one, two if you're not alone on a Saturday night)!
Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan and saute the shallot and garlic over low heat for about 5 minutes until softened.
Add the sherry and boil gently for about 5 minutes to start reducing and lessening the bitter alcohol taste.
Add the cream, stock and truffle cream (if using) and reduce heat to quite low and let cook away to reduce.
Start boiling your water for the linguine in a large saucepan, remembering to salt the water well.
While the water is heating, add the asparagus, broccolini and capers to the sauce and stir and continue to cook gently. Taste the sauce. The sherry should be sweetening and reducing to a syrupy consistency. Keep on very low heat.
Start cooking the spaghetti while you finish the sauce.
Add the lobster and prawns and stir for a few minutes to cook through. You may need to turn the heat up slightly. Make sure the shellfish is cooked and turns pink.
Drain your pasta and add to the pan with the sauce, stir well over medium heat for about 30 seconds and pile into a bowl, (warmed would be excellent).
Add the truffle butter, a few twists of black pepper and a sprinkling of paprika and enjoy.
You may find, like I did, that you want to shout out to the street how wonderful this is, luckily for me, I have a blog.
