Lobster Nero Linguine by MasterChef Finalist Kishwar Chowdhury
Recipe by MasterChef Kishwar Chowdhury.
A festive family favourite celebrating the glorious Southern Rock Lobster, this recipe can be replicated with your favourite linguine, spaghetti or handmade pasta ribbons to create a statement dish you’ll go back to time and time again.
My favourite part of this dish is how reinforces the flavour of the sea and minimizes food waste by using the shell and claws to make the bisque that flavours the pasta.
I’ve added Port Phillp Bay mussels and Yarra Valley hand milked salmon caviar to this dish to play off the colours, flavours and texture, but you can add any Victorian seafood fresh from your fish monger.
Ingredients
For the Pasta
500g Squid ink linguine
4 tablespoons olive oil
100g butter
1/2 chopped onion
3 cloves garlic
1 Birdseye chili (optional)
½ bunch chopped parsley
½ cup white wine
3 cups lobster bisque (see below)
lobster medallions (see below)
wine cooked mussels (see below)
lemon wedges
seasoning
Lobster Bisque
reserved lobster shells, chopped
1 chopped onion
1 chopped carrot
½ chopped head of celery
½ bunch parsley stalks
3 cloves garlic
2 cans chopped tomatoes
seasoning
Method
To make the Southern Rock Lobster bisque
Add a small amount of olive oil to a deep pan and add chopped onion, carrot, celery & parsley stalks
Add the chopped lobster shells & left-over claws that are too small to be eaten
Reduce the heat to low then add tomatoes, 3 cups water and season well. Simmer for 40 minutes.
Strain bisque through a fine sieve into a bowl and set aside to cool until no longer steaming.
To prep the Port Phillip Bay Mussels
Add mussels to a pan that has a tight-fitting lid.
Add ½ cup white wine & a pinch of salt
Leave to steam till mussels just start to open
Strain and set aside to add to pasta
To cook the Southern Rock Lobster medallions
Add a small amount of olive oil to a large & deep fry pan keeping on medium heat
Add a small knob of butter & one clove of chopped garlic to flavour the pan
Carefully add lobster tail topside down and keep basting with the pan butter
Once cooked through (3-5 mins) rest on board and slice into medallions about an inch in thickness
To assemble the Lobster Nero Linguine
In the pan you cooked the lobster medallions, add remaining olive oil, garlic and chopped onions.
Fry off the lobster claws for 4 mins to flavour the pan and set aside
Add remaining white wine to pan
Cook squid ink linguine according to instructions on packet, adding drained pasta to pan
Retain a cup of the pasta liquid
Add the lobster bisque and a retained pasta water
Toss pasta in pan, seasoning accordingly with salt and pepper
Add Birdseye chili, parsley and remaining butter
Serve on large platter and layer in lobster medallions, cooked mussels, Yarra Valley caviar and top with parsley and lemon wedges