Seafood Pasta* Recipe

Prepare lobster

Bring a large pot of salted water (about 1 tbs salt per 4 cups water) to a gentle boil. Add lobster tails and blanch for 1 minute only to loosen membranes (optional step) then remove and cool slightly. Split lobster tails lengthwise with kitchen shears, expose meat, and remove the vein. Brush meat lightly with 1 tbs olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Grill lobster

Heat a grill or cast-iron grill pan to medium-high. Place lobster tails flesh-side down on the grill for 2 minutes to get char marks, then flip and grill shell-side down for another 2–3 minutes until meat is opaque and just cooked through (internal temp ~135–140°F). Remove from heat, let rest 2 minutes, then chop meat into large bite-sized chunks.

Prepare shrimp

Toss shrimp with remaining 1 tbs olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Over the same hot grill or pan, cook shrimp 1.5–2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove and keep warm.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add fettuccine and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8–10 minutes for dried, 2–4 for fresh). In the last 2 minutes of pasta cooking, add English peas to the pot to blanch briefly. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and peas together.

Briefly toss drained pasta and peas in a large warm sauté pan or bowl with a splash of reserved pasta water to prevent sticking while you finish the sauce.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not brown.

Sprinkle the flour over the butter-garlic mixture and whisk continuously for about 1 minute to form a light roux.

Slowly whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer. Continue to whisk until it thickens slightly, about 3–5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and stir in the grated Parmesan and Pecorino Romano until melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, loosen with 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water at a time until you reach a silky, coat-the-back-of-a-spoon consistency.

Season the sauce with salt and white or black pepper to taste and stir in 1 tsp fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavors if desired.

Add the drained fettuccine and blanched peas to the pan with the Alfredo sauce. Toss gently over low heat to thoroughly coat the pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a smooth emulsion (start with 2–3 tbs).

Fold in the grilled lobster chunks and cooked shrimp, warming through for 1–2 minutes (avoid overcooking).

Stir in the chiffonade of fresh basil and 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon as desired.

Plate the pasta, distributing seafood evenly. Garnish with chopped parsley (optional), an additional sprinkle of grated Parmesan, and lemon wedges on the side.