So, if you know me... you know that I love the Food Network... everything from Cupcake Wars to Chopped to all of the individual chef shows. I absolutely LOVE the Barefoot Contessa. She's been my favorite for years. Yesterday I watched the episode where she made lunch for Alec Baldwin & Mariska Hargitay from Law and Order SVU. She made a dish called "Lobster & shells"... well, it looked sooo amazing, I decided to attempt it for myself. While I was cooking I took a few pictures.. all of the colors were so beautiful! Plus I had to document my first attempt at cooking REAL raw lobster! I will admit, it was SLIGHTLY overcooked... they weren't kidding when they said "3 minutes."
Believe it or not, it was actually really simple! I didn't purchase as much lobster as the recipe called for because it's VERY expensive. The 3 tails I bought were $12.. if I had purchased the full pound it would have cost me about $40.00. It also calls for fresh corn, yellow pepper, scallion, cherry tomatoes, fresh dill & of course, small pasta shells. I'm a huge fan of FRESH ingredients when cooking... none of that canned non-sense. If you're a canned cooker, try using fresh produce/herbs just once & experience the difference. I cut the recipe in half.. even halving it makes a TON. It's a great dish to entertain with. Basically, you mix all of the veggies & pasta together, then mix 3/4 cup of mayo, 1/2 cup of sour cream (I usually add a bit more to balance it), about 3 fresh lemons (juice only), add the fresh dill & kosher salt/pepper. Whisk it together & then add it to the veggie/pasta mixture. Note: I recommend using the food processor to chop the dill very very fine... it can be very strong & "grass-like" if left as is.
Anywho. Check out the photos below! If you're interested in trying it out, go to www.foodnetwork.com and search for "Lobster & Shells" by Barefoot Contessa!
Enjoy! XOX
L*K
