Broiled Lobster Tails and Fresh Pasta

Amaze your friends and family with the herbaceous profile of Pernod sauce over broiled lobster tails. The sauce is a deceptively simple but tantalizingly good blend of Pernod, shallots, cream, herbs, and butter. It brings life to fresh pasta, and complements the rich flavor of broiled lobster tails. This dish deserves glasses of good champagne or perfectly chilled French chablis. Take your time and savor every bite.

Tips for Picking Out Lobster Tails

When choosing lobster tails for cooking, look for the freshest you can find. Your nose can help here: a strong, oily, fishy smell usually means the meat isn’t as fresh as it might be. A cleaner, lighter scent is a good sign, as is a firm texture. Avoid lobster tails with a dull color or a mushy consistency. The shell of the lobster tail should be intact and free of cracks. You can also decipher which tails to get by checking the weight. The heavier the tail, generally, the higher meat-to-shell ratio it will have.

Broiled Lobster Tails and Fresh Pasta Recipe

Serves 8

Broiled Lobster Tails Ingredients

• 8 lobster tails
• Maldonado salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• 3 lemons, juiced
• 3 tbsp fresh flat parsley, chopped
• 1 cup butter, melted

For the Pernod Sauce:

• 3 cups Pernod
• 3 shallots
• 2 cups cream
• 1 bay leaf
• Thyme
• 5 peppercorns
• 2-3 lemons, juiced
• 12 oz butter unsalted
• Salt

For the Fresh Pasta:

• 3 eggs
• Water
• Sea salt
• 1 cup semolina flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Broiled Lobster Tails Instructions

1. Place tail meat on top of shell, piggie back style.
2. Season with Maldonado sea salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and butter with fresh parsley.
3. Place under broiler in oven for 6-8 minutes.
4. Check for doneness and finish for additional 2-3 minutes if needed.

For the Pernod Sauce:

1. Reduce Pernod, thyme, bay leaf, shallot, peppercorns by half.
2. Add cream and reduce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. Add butter and whisk to combine.
4. Season with salt and lemon juice to taste.
5. Pass through a sieve and serve immediately.

For the Fresh Pasta:

1. In a clean non-reactive bowl, mix all ingredients well.
2. Form resulting dough into a ball and rest at room temperature for 45 minutes.
3. With a hand-cranked pasta machine set to number 7, roll into thin sheets.
4. Cut into fettuccine noodles and cook in salted boiling water for 1-2 minutes until pasta floats.
5. Toss immediately in Pernod sauce. Top with lobster tails and serve.

Story by Susan Fleming Morgans / Recipe by Chef Gary Klinefelter and Chef Chris O’Brien / Styling by Anna Franklin / Photography by Joey Kennedy

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