Nothing is more luxurious than lobster and when prepared ahead, as this meal can easily be, it’s easy to impress with this dinner. Pair it with a garden salad and white wine and you have an excellent meal which I save for special events like birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. I've also provided quick and easy options if you need them.
Ravioli: While you can make and use your own fresh pasta dough, you can also use pre-made fresh lasagna sheets or even wonton wrappers, both of which are available in most good grocers. I get my fresh lasagna sheets at Whole Foods and used them in this recipe. You will ideally use some type of ravioli cutter or mold as it will speed the process (shown below, available on Amazon). If you don’t have one you can cut out the ravioli with a knife and use a fork to crimp the edges. I prepare the ravioli days or weeks ahead as it can be easily refrigerated or frozen and will hold well. Alternatively some good grocers carry pre-made lobster ravioli, including Costco.
Lobster: To really boost the flavor, I prefer using whole live lobsters combined with shrimp. But if only lobster tails are available, you can use those too. Just take note if they are cooked or uncooked. I assume in the recipe they are uncooked. But if the tail shell is bright red and the meat is white, they have been pre-cooked and you will skip the step of boiling them.
Sauce: The sauce is made with the cooked lobster and shrimp shells, so make sure to save them after you have cooked them. The shells are then cooked again cooked in butter along with vegetables, cognac, broth, and tomato paste, and then strained before cream is added. What results is a velvety smooth, rich, beautiful sauce that adds sophistication to any dish. I also prepare the sauce in advance as it too will hold. This sauce has a bit more tomato in it than a classic lobster cream as I think it fits better with the ravioli. If you don’t want to make the sauce you can substitute with a good tomato cream sauce or vodka sauce.
Ingredients (makes about 40 ravioli, 10 each for 4 adults)
Meat from 3 lobster tails or 2 – 1.5 pound live lobsters
(shells reserved)
1/4 pound uncooked shrimp, shells on, deveined
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice and zest from 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk ricotta cheese
1 pound fresh pasta dough
(homemade or store-bought fresh lasagna sheets)
Sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cognac, or other brandy
Cooked shells from 3 tails or 2 whole lobsters (above)
4 cups low-sodium chicken or shrimp broth
4-5 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Ravioli: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the shrimp and continue to cook until the lobster shells turn bright red, another 4-6 minutes. Remove cooked lobster and shrimp and let cool. Remove the lobster meat from the shells and peel the shrimp reserving all the shells. Finely chop both the lobster meat and shrimp.
In a large skillet, brown the butter over medium heat, stirring often until the butter is deep golden. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook another minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped lobster and shrimp, parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the ricotta cheese and mix to combine. Set the filling aside.
Lay lasagna-sized sheets of pasta dough on a clean work surface or large cutting board. Place 1 tablespoon of filling one inch apart over half the pasta sheet. Brush around the filling with water to moisten and then fold the sheet over the filling, pressing down to seal. Cut into squares and crimp with a fork or use a ravioli stamp/cutter or mold. Be sure to keep the ravioli covered as you work to prevent them from drying out. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Arrange the ravioli on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer, cover and transfer them to the freezer or refrigerator. Freeze or refrigerate 1-2 hours and then transfer to a zipper locked bag or airtight container. The ravioli can be frozen for up to 4 months and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Sauce: Add the butter and oil to a medium, heavy stockpot over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onion, celery, and carrots and then cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and continue to stir until the mixture is a light blond color, about 2 minutes.
Add the cognac and stir for 30 seconds, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Add the lobster and shrimp shells, then stir in the stock. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tomato paste, salt, paprika, and cayenne. Simmer uncovered, stirring often, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 hour.
Remove the shells and strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium saucepan. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer briskly until the sauce is reduced to about 3 cups, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.
Assembly: Heat the pre-made sauce gently over low heat in a medium saucepan until warmed, stirring occasionally.
In a shallow skillet large enough to hold the 2 halved lobster tails (4 pieces), melt a stick of salted butter (8 tablespoons) over medium-low heat. When melted add the lobster tails meat side down.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli (from frozen or refrigerator) until they float and are tender about 3-6 minutes. Insert an instant read thermometer to insure they are at least 160F degrees inside. While the ravioli cooks, turn the split lobster tails shell side down to cook through. The lobster is done when it reaches 140F internal temperature. Do not overcook.
Spoon some of the sauce on the bottom of each serving dish. Place a five ravioli on top of the sauce. Spoon on some additional sauce and add 3 more ravioli. Spoon on a little more sauce and add the final 2 ravioli. Place the butter poached tail between the two ravioli and drizzle with some of the melted butter in which they were cooked. Prepare the remaining servings the same way. Sprinkle the servings with grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of parsley. Serve immediately. Prepare for great praise!
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