From “Fish Without A Doubt,” by Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore. To dispatch a lobster for roasting, set the lobster on its back on a cutting board, holding it just above the tail if necessary. Push the point of a heavy chef’s knife into the center of the body, about 1 1/2 inches from the head, and cut down through the center of the head. Serves 4.
Ingredients
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 lobsters (each about 1 1/2 pounds), dispatched and prepared for pan-roasting (see note, above)
Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (2 8-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3/4 pound linguine
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Directions
Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over high heat. When the pan’s hot, spoon in 4 tablespoons olive oil. Season the lobster with salt and white pepper and add to the pan. Saute until the shells are bright red all over, about 4 minutes. Remove the lobster with tongs and keep it warm in a bowl on the back of the stove.
Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the onions to the skillet, along with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and saute until the onions start to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano and crushed red pepper, and saute for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and let it bubble up for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve any browned bits.
Add the tomatoes, season with salt and white pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the sauce is at an active simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to almost al dente. You’ll finish cooking it in the sauce.
Stir the parsley and basil into the sauce and add the lobster. Simmer for about 4 minutes to heat the lobster through and finish the cooking.
Scoop out about 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta. Remove the lobster from the skillet and add the pasta. Cook, tossing the pasta in the sauce and adding some pasta water if needed, until the pasta has married with the sauce, about a minute.
Divide the pasta among four large plates, top with the lobster, and serve right away.
