lobster alla mezcal
a spin on penna alla vodka with lobster & smoky mezcal
say hello to my lobster alla mezcal pasta
It’s a play on the classic penne alla vodka but made with tubular paccheri noodles, smoky mezcal & succulent lobster meat. Truly a work of f***ing art.
If you’ve ever made pasta alla vodka, this recipe will be a walk in the park. It starts with sauteing a couple of aromatics, adding lots of tomatoes in various forms (both paste & whole) & a hearty pour of heavy cream.
This is all blended until you’re left with a smooth, almost reddish-orange sauce. Where this recipe differs from pasta alla vodka is the addition of mezcal – in place of vodka.
I would love to hate on vodka.
For the most part, it’s flavorless & rather boring, but after a bit of research, I found that it brings out the aroma & flavor of the sauce.
However, the addition of mezcal does that & more. It imparts a lovely smoky flavor. If you aren’t familiar with mezcal, be warned: it has a distinct flavor. You either like it or don’t like it. I happen to love it.
The cherry on top is Luke’s Lobster: the highest scoring B Corp certified seafood company in the US! That means it achieves social good & environmental good on top of tasting good. All of the lobster that Luke’s sources is from well-managed sustainable fisheries and can be traced directly back to the source.
All of Luke’s lobster meat is sourced from fishermen in Maine and Canada who follow strict sustainability regulations so you can feel confident that the lobster you’re getting is from a well-regulated, well-maintained lobster fishery.
You can find it at Whole Foods along with all of the other ingredients needed for this recipe.
recipe!
lobster alla mezcal
3 servings (main) 5 mins prep + 30 mins cook | 35 mins total time
ingredients
1-8 ounce package Luke’s Lobster Knuckle & Claw Meat
4 ½ - 5 ounces tomato paste, concentrated
14 ½ ounces tomatoes, whole & peeled
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound paccheri pasta
2 ounces parmesan
¼ cup mezcal
chives for garnish
pepper
salt
instructions
bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the instructions. Reserve 2 cups of water & set aside.
in a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic & saute. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until garlic is aromatic. Add the tomato paste, stir & cook for 4 minutes. Stir in the whole & peeled tomatoes—with liquid, & bring to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the cream & stir until well incorporated.
pour the sauce into the blender & blend until smooth. Pour back into the pan. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Add mezcal, mix & bring to a low simmer. Allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes to cook off alcohol. Add the pasta to the pot along with 1/4 cup of water. Bring heat to high, stirring constantly, until pasta is well coated. If the sauce is too thick, add additional pasta water in 1/4 cup increments. Add lobster & cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the parmesan & mix. Plate the pasta, garnish with additional parmesan & chives.