Aragosta E Frutti Di Mare Fra Diavolo Recipe

If using live lobster: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, blanch lobster 2–3 minutes to loosen meat, transfer to ice bath. Remove meat from tail and claws, reserve shells. Coarsely chop tail and claw meat into bite-size pieces. If using pre-cooked lobster meat, cut into bite-size pieces and chill briefly. Pat shrimp, scallops, calamari dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Clean clams/mussels; discard any that do not close.

Mince garlic, finely dice onion, chop parsley, zest and juice lemon. Open canned tomatoes and crush by hand if whole; measure stock and wine.

Make quick shell stock

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add lobster shells and sauté 3–4 minutes to release color. Add 1/4 cup white wine and simmer 1–2 minutes, scraping browned bits. Add 2 cups water and simmer gently 15–20 minutes. Strain and reserve 1/2 cup of this stock to add to the sauce (use remaining stock for another use).

Bring a large pot (at least 6–8 qt) of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tbs coarse salt. Add linguine and cook until al dente according to package directions (usually 9–11 minutes). Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water before draining. Do not rinse. Keep pasta warm.

Heat a large wide sauté pan or heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tbs olive oil and 2 tbs butter. When butter foams, add diced onion and a pinch of salt; sweat until translucent, about 4–5 minutes.

Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup dry white wine, scraping up browned bits. Let wine reduce by about half, 1–2 minutes.

Stir in 1 tbs tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen flavor. Add the crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup fish or lobster stock, 1/2 tsp sugar (if using), 1 tsp sea salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered 10–12 minutes to concentrate and meld flavors.

Taste and adjust seasoning for salt, heat, and acidity. If sauce is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to loosen; if too thin, simmer a few more minutes.

Add clams/mussels to the simmering sauce first, nestling them into the sauce. Cover pan and steam 3–5 minutes until shells open. Remove any that remain closed. Transfer opened shellfish to a bowl and keep warm; leave their liquor in the pan.

Add shrimp and scallops to the sauce, pushing gently into the simmer. Cook 2–3 minutes until shrimp turn pink and scallops are opaque at the centers. Transfer cooked shrimp and scallops to the bowl with shellfish.

Add calamari rings and cook 45–60 seconds until just opaque (do not overcook). Remove and add to the bowl with other seafood.

Gently fold in chopped lobster meat to warm through for 1–2 minutes. Avoid prolonged cooking to keep lobster tender.

Return all warmed seafood (lobster, shrimp, scallops, calamari, clams/mussels) to the sauce and stir gently to combine. Add lemon zest and 1–2 tbs lemon juice to brighten the sauce. Stir in 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter to finish and add gloss.

Add drained linguine to the pan with sauce. Using tongs, toss pasta with sauce and seafood over medium heat for 1–2 minutes so pasta absorbs flavors. If sauce needs loosening, add reserved pasta water 1–2 tbs at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Add chopped parsley and gently toss to combine. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon as needed.

Portion linguine and seafood among warmed plates. Spoon additional sauce and seafood over each portion. Garnish with extra parsley, a light drizzle of olive oil, and optional pinch of red pepper flakes. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.