Lovely lobster spaghetti

Mrs C’s Luscious Lobster Spaghetti

Over the years we have been lucky enough to spend many a Christmas soaking up the sun in Barbados with my family. But for me, there was always something missing; cold weather and home cooking. So now we tend to spend Christmas here in Falmouth.

On New Year’s Eve, it’s become a tradition that Mrs C cooks her lovely lobster spaghetti. We source the live lobster from Seabourne Fish in Penryn, who always buy direct from Cornish fishing boats. For me, the worst part of this fishy voyage is having to hear the rustle of the lobster in the carrier bag on the back seat of the car, which prompts me to turn up the car radio to block out the sound. However, here is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

One lobster

200g spaghetti

Ten cherry tomatoes

One red chilli finely chopped

Two cloves of garlic

Olive oil

300ml of Prosecco

Two tble spoons tomato passata

Two tble spoons chopped parsley

Stock:

Olive oil

Half carrot chopped

Half onion chopped

One celery stalk chopped

One bay leaf

Four black peppercorns

Half glass of white wine

One tble spoon of tomato puree

Heat a glug of oil on a medium heat in a large saucepan and add the stock, vegetables, peppercorns and bay leaf. Let those sweat with a lid for a few minutes. Add the wine and let it cook until evaporated. Add the puree and turn the heat down to low.

Dispatch your lobster humanely and remove the head. Split the lobster tail in half length-ways keeping the shell on. Cut each piece of the tail into 2cm chunks.

Boil a saucepan of water and put in the claws for around 40 seconds. Remove and allow to cool. Crack the claws and remove the delicious meat and put in a bowl to one side.

Get your pan ready for the linguine and cook according to instructions.

In a large sauté pan, heat a glug of olive oil. Add your garlic and cook for a couple of minutes making sure it doesn't burn, then add the chilli.

Chuck in all the lobster meat and stir. Add your tomatoes, passata and Prosecco. Add a ladle of stock and keep stirring adding a grind of black pepper and a pinch of sea salt. Turn off the heat. Drain the pasta then add it into the sauce, coating it thoroughly, and stirring for at least one minute. Add a drizzle of olive oil plus the parsley and serve!

It goes without saying that Mrs C will drink a glass or two of fizz with her lobster, while I prefer a crisp, French rose, such as Whispering Angel. Enjoy. And I wish you all a very merry Christmas, and look forward to exploring more Cornish produce in 2018.

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