David Rosengarten Lobster Fra Diavlo Food

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• If you're going to make the optional lobster broth, sauté the onion, carrot and fennel bulb about 5 minutes over medium-high heat, then add the lobster shells. Crush the shells with a potato masher or somesuch while they cook. Let them cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves and anise seed and cover with about 1 quart of water. Simmer this about 45 minutes, or until reduced by half. Strain and reserve.
• Get a large pot of water boiling and add enough salt to make it salty. Drop the heat to a simmer and proceed.
• To make the sauce, sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium-high heat until the onion is just starting to brown on the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chiles and cook another minute or three.
• Stir in the tomato paste and let that cook for 2 minutes, stirring almost constantly. Pour in the vermouth or white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits in the pan. Add the remaining ingredients (including the reserved stock), except for the lobster and the fresh basil. Bring to a simmer, taste for salt, and let this simmer 20 minutes.
• Now you want to boil your pasta. It'll be ready when the sauce is now.
• Add the lobster and let this cook about 10 minutes, just until the chunks are cooked through. Stir in the basil or parsley and, if you want, add some lemon. Serve over the pasta.

GRILLED SEAFOOD PASTA FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• For the chili oil: Combine the oil and crushed red pepper flakes in a heavy small saucepan. Cook over low heat until a thermometer inserted into the oil registers 180 degrees F, about 5 minutes. Strain the oil into a heatproof container.
• For the spicy tomato sauce: Heat a large nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the tomatoes and chile with 2 teaspoons of the chili oil and sprinkle with the salt. Grill until charred and softened, 4 minutes per side. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl. Coarsely chop the chile, then add to the bowl with the tomatoes.
• For the pasta: Bring a large saucepan filled with salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the lobster tails and cook until the shells turn red and the meat is opaque, 4 minutes. Transfer the tails to a cutting board. Continue to boil the water and add the linguine. Cook until the pasta has begun to soften but is still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 6 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
• While the pasta is cooking, prepare the seafood. Gently cut through the top of the lobster shells using scissors to remove the tail meat, then slice each tail in half lengthwise. Transfer to a large bowl and add the shrimp. Drizzle over 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chili oil and 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat.
• Heat a large nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the lobster tails and shrimp until cooked through, 4 minutes per side. Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl. Chop the lobster into 2-inch pieces and combine with the shrimp.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the chili oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the spicy tomato sauce and white wine and bring to a boil. Add the clams and cook, covered, until they open, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add the pasta and reserved cooking water to the pan along with the Parmesan and toss to coat. Stir in the parsley, butter, lemon zest and salt and black pepper to taste. Add in the shrimp and lobster and drizzle with the remaining chili oil.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVLO WITH BUCCATINI

Steps:

• Add bucatini to a large pot of boiling, salted water.
• Insert the tip of a heavy, sharp knife into the head of the lobster and cut through the head. Cut the lobster body in half lengthwise by taking firm hold of the tail and inserting a heavy, sharp knife where the tail meets the body section. Bring the knife down to the cutting board in a swift motion, cutting the body section clearly in half. Turn the knife in the other direction and cut the tail in half in the same way, splitting it right down the back. Split the claw at the joints. Split everything down the middle. Quarter each lobster half. There should be 8 small pieces of lobster.
• Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat. Add garlic and shallots and cook until they start to take color, about 10 seconds. Add lobster pieces and cook for about minute per side, until lobster is golden on both sides. Add the tomatoes and saute for about 1 minute until the tomatoes plump up and some split open. Then, add the white wine and let it simmer rapidly for about 2 minutes, until it begins to reduce a bit. Use your hands and crush the 2 tomatoes directly into the pan. Add salt and pepper, to taste, the oregano, the thyme, and the red pepper flakes. Let the mixture simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the pasta, without shaking out the excess water. Add pasta into the pan with the lobster, tossing it for about 1 minute until it is coated with the sauce. Add parsley and basil, toss 1 more time, and serve.

MAINE LOBSTER FRA DIABLO

Steps:

• Cut the lobster in half lengthwise. Remove the small, opaque clumps of tissue located next to the eye. Do not remove anything else from the lobster; the juices and the roe are what give the sauce its flavor. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic and cook for a few minutes. Do not let the garlic burn or it will leave a bitter taste. Add the lobster flesh side down and cook until the roe is firm, about 1 minute. Add the white wine, tomato sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook a few minutes more until all the ingredients blend together. Add the chopped parsley and salt, to taste. Do not overcook the lobster; it will become tough. Add the sauce and lobster to the cooked linguini and serve immediately.

FIREHOUSE FRA-DIAVILO

Steps:

• In a cold 8-quart stockpot, put 2/3 cup of olive oil, garlic cloves, whole onion, beef shank, and pork chops. Turn heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Turn meat over and cook for 5 more minutes. Puree the tomatoes in the blender, and add them to the stockpot. Add 2 tablespoons hot sauce, tomato paste, all dry ingredients and 3/4 cup of cheese to the stockpot. Cover pot and simmer for 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes.
• Fill a 16-quart stockpot halfway with water and add 3 tablespoons of the hot sauce, beer, celery, and coarsely chopped onion. Bring to a boil. Add the lobsters and boil for 10 minutes. Remove the lobsters from the water and let cool. Remove the lobster meat and refrigerate in a covered bowl. Reserve and refrigerate the lobster bodies to be used as garnish.
• Put 1/3 cup olive oil in a frying pan and turn heat to medium. Put in the clams and cover. Cook for about 7 minutes, or until they open. Add 4 cups of the tomato sauce from the stockpot, remaining 1/2 tablespoon hot sauce, heavy cream, and mussels. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add shrimp and lobster and simmer for 5 more minutes.
• Cook linguini according to the directions on the box, and then add it to the contents of the frying pan. Mix all ingredients together and divide evenly onto 4 plates, garnishing each plate with a lobster body and 1 teaspoon fresh parsley (or, serve family style in a large bowl). Add extra sauce and cheese to taste. Serve with crusty Italian bread.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVLO

Steps:

• Split each lobster with a long, sharp knife. Cut each lobster into 8 pieces: two chest halves (with legs attached), two lobster tail halves, two large claws and two knuckles that connect the claws and body. Save any juice that exude from the lobster. Refrigerate tails, claws and knuckles.
• Turn on oven broiler. Brush a large roasting pan with a little oil, and place the four lobster chest halves on it. When oven is hot, place the pan directly under the broiler unit. Cook the lobster chests, turning frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until they are slightly charred.
• While chests are cooking, place a tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Peel and mince 6 garlic cloves, and add to the oil. Saute, stirring, until the garlic turns golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Remove chests from the oven and place in the Dutch oven with the garlic and oil. Add the white wine to the roasting pan, and deglaze pan for 30 seconds over a medium-high heat. Pour the wine into the Dutch oven. Remove the tomatoes from the cans, and, one by one, squeeze then over the contents of the Dutch oven, finally dropping the crushed tomatoes in. Reserve tomato juice in cans for possible use later. Add any reserved juices from the lobsters. Add the dried chillies, oregano, and basil. Boil ten minutes. Cover the Dutch oven, remove from heat, and let it rest for at least one hour.
• When almost ready to serve, pick the shells out of the tomato sauce and discard them. Remember to push all bits of tomato and lobster into the tomato sauce before discarding the shells. Add crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
• In a large heavy skillet, place the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over a high heat. Gently peel the remaining 4 cloves of garlic and cut into broad, thin slices. Add the garlic to the oil, and cook until the garlic just starts to burn (about 5 minutes). Add the 4 lobster claws, 4 knuckles, and 4 tail halves (shell side down), and cook covered for 4 minutes. Turn the lobster pieces over and cook until done, covered, another 3 to 4 minutes. Lower heat to medium, add tomato sauce and stir well. Taste for seasoning and red pepper. If the sauce seems too thick, thin with a little reserved tomato juice. Cook for one minute. Serve immediately.

LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO

Steps:

• Put the tomatoes and juice into a saucepan and boil hard until reduced by half. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh butter. Set aside until needed.
• Melt the lobster butter in a skillet and cook the garlic in it over low heat until transparent but not browned. Add Cognac and flame.
• Add white wine and lobster stock and boil hard until reduced by at least half.
• Add lobster meat, season to taste with salt, pepper and red pepper and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to a saucelike consistency. Serve over pasta.