- Serves6
- CourseMain meal
- Prepare20 mins
- Cook45 mins
- Total time1 hr 5 mins
Ingredients
- 6 No.1 Raw Lobster Tails, depending on size (from the fish counter)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Large pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 L whole milk
- 400g chifferi rigati, cavatappi or macaroni
- 28g Knorr Fish Stock Pot
- 50g butter
- 50g plain flour
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ x 25g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
- 200g mature Cheddar, grated
For the topping
- 1 large clove garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 50g breadcrumbs
- 1 unwaxed lemon, zest
Method
Using kitchen scissors, cut along the belly of the lobster tails, push the shell back, then pull the meat out – you should have 425-450g. Cut the meat into 1-2cm slices, then cover and chill in the fridge. Break the shells into slightly smaller pieces. Mix the topping ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
Warm 1 tbsp oil in a large shallow ovenproof casserole (about 30cm diameter) over a medium heat. Add the lobster shells and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often, until pink. Stir in the cayenne and tomato purée and allow to caramelise a little on the base of the pan.
Reduce the heat to low, then add the milk. Wait until it’s just about to simmer, then remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 30 minutes. Strain the milk into a large jug and discard the shells. Keep the pan.
Preheat the oven to 190ºC, gas mark 5. Boil a large saucepan of salted water, then cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than stated on the pack instructions. Drain (reserving 150ml pasta water) and set aside. Mix the reserved cooking water with the stock pot in a separate jug.
Return the shallow pan to the heat. Add the butter, allow to melt, then mix in the flour to form a paste. Reduce the heat and slowly add the milk, stirring well between each addition (wait for it to be absorbed before adding more), to make a thick glossy sauce. Stir in the hot stock. Remove from the heat, add the reserved lobster meat, Dijon, parsley and about three-quarters of the cheese and season well.
Stir in the pasta and coat thoroughly in the sauce. Top with the remaining cheese and crumb topping. Bake for 20 minutes, or until piping hot throughout, golden and bubbling. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then serve. Delicious with a crisp green leaf salad, if liked.
Cook’s tip
If you don’t have the right size casserole dish, make it all in a pan, then transfer to an ovenproof dish for baking. You could also make this in 6 individual ovenproof dishes, and bake for the same time and temperature. Replace the lobster with crayfish if you prefer. Waitrose sells the tails ready peeled in 100g packs – 4 packs will work well. You will need some extra shellfish flavour, however, as you don’t have the lobster shells, so I recommend a 400g can of lobster bisque to replace the stock, and 250ml milk when making the sauce. It works really well.
Nutritional
Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe
Energy | 2,961kJ/ 707kcals |
|---|---|
Fat | 32.6g |
Saturated Fat | 16.6g |
Carbohydrates | 62.4g |
Sugars | 9g |
Fibre | 3.1g |
Protein | 39.3g |
Salt | 2.9g |