Lobster spaghetti with samphire and sheep’s cheese

Lobster spaghetti with samphire and sheep’s cheese

Summer

A single lobster rarely stretches very far, particularly the modest ones I’m lucky enough to get from the bay. Buying several would certainly feed a family, but it would also cost a small fortune. This recipe solves that rather neatly by making one lobster go a long way, drawing flavour not only from the meat but from the shell too, which holds an extraordinary depth of sweetness. The shells are simmered to make a quick, intensely flavoured stock that enriches the pasta beautifully. I like to add marsh samphire, a delicate coastal green that grows on tidal flats and salt marshes all around the British coastline. It brings a natural salinity that suits lobster perfectly. If you can get a live lobster the meat will be sweeter still, but a cooked one will also work perfectly well.

Serves 3 - 4

Ingredients

  • 1 lobster, about 750g–1kg
  • 350g spaghetti
  • 100g samphire, trimmed and washed
  • Pinch chilli flakes
  • 50g butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 50g grated Parmesan or other hard sheep’s cheese
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Place the lobster on a board with the head facing you. Position the tip of a heavy knife on the cross on the lobster’s head and press down firmly to split it. Turn the lobster so the tail faces you and cut straight down through the body to the tip of the tail, keeping the blade central so you end up with two even halves.

Remove the gills, the small stomach sac behind the mouth and the dark digestive tract that runs along the tail. Remove the tail meat, the liver or tomalley and the meat from the claws and knuckles.

Break the shells into small pieces and place them in a pan with enough water just to cover. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain the liquid through a sieve, discard the shells and return the liquid to the pan. Set over the heat and reduce to about 100ml.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and salt it well. Add the spaghetti and cook until nearly tender. Add the samphire for the final minute of cooking.

Drain the pasta and return the pan to the heat. Add the butter, olive oil, chilli flakes and garlic and cook gently for a minute or two, making sure the garlic does not colour.

Chop the lobster meat and add it to the pan along with the reduced lobster stock. Once hot, add the spaghetti and samphire along with the parsley and grated cheese. Toss everything together well with a pair of forks, season with salt and pepper and serve straight away with extra cheese for grating.

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