Fettuccine With Lobster and Zucchini

By Florence Fabricant

Fettuccine With Lobster and Zucchini
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
4(484)
Comments
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Feta cheese gives a briny edge to this quick pasta dish, with fresh zucchini, tomatoes, herbs and lobster. Add the lobster off-heat at the end to guard against overcooking; it will warm just enough as it is gently tossed, putting all the ingredients on speaking terms. If you are entertaining guests and do not prefer last-minute preparations, don’t hesitate to serve the pasta at room temperature, glossed with an extra glug or two of good olive oil.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 3tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼cup finely chopped shallots
  • 2large cloves garlic, minced
  • 2cups diced fresh tomatoes
  • 2medium zucchini (10 to 12 ounces), trimmed and diced
  • 1½tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
  • 2tablespoons minced chives
  • ½cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)
  • ¼teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 6tablespoons heavy cream
  • Cooked meat from 2 (1¼-pound) lobsters, diced
  • 1pound fettuccine
  • 2teaspoons grated lemon zest
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

704 calories; 26 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 64 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 55 grams protein; 965 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch sauté pan. Add shallot and garlic, and sauté on medium-low until soft but not brown. Add the tomatoes and cook about 5 minutes, until most of their liquid has evaporated. Add another tablespoon of the olive oil and then the zucchini and cook, stirring, 3 minutes or so, until the zucchini is tender but not soft. Fold in 1 tablespoon of the mint and 1½ tablespoons of the chives.

  2. Step 2

    Add the feta and cook, stirring, a few minutes, until it softens. Stir in paprika, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cream, bring to a simmer and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the cream starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the lobster meat.

  3. Step 3

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook the fettuccine until al dente, about 6 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta, add to the sauté pan, drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of oil and the lemon zest and toss with the zucchini and lobster mixture. Add pasta water, turn the heat to low, add salt and pepper, if needed, and gently mix the ingredients for no more than 3 minutes, just until heated through. Serve with a scattering of the remaining chives and mint.

Ratings

4 out of 5
484 user ratings
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Comments

RT314

This sounds delicious! Two questions: would crab work just as well with these flavors (going crabbing this week); and what would be the best substitute for feta (since I have some family that doesn't care for that cheese)?

Rangezone

Substitute shrimp for the lobster?

Ed

This sounds delicious but is no "quick" 40-minute pasta dish unless you have previously gathered all the ingredients and have cooked and removed meat from the lobsters. Question: since very good frozen lobster meat is available, at least to us who live in metropolitan areas, how much lobster meat is extracted from two 1-1/4 lb. lobsters? It's probably not enough to share with up to six people. Using frozen lobster meat would provide more flexibility and a lot less work.

Amy

Spectacular dish! Substituted cherry tomatoes, asparagus and some frozen fresh corn. Added about 1/4 tsp. of red pepper flakes during the initial saute step. This is a perfect example of a dish that comes together quickly if you practice mise en place.The feta and lemon zest are essental IMO. Would be delicious with shrimp or crab!

Emily L

Agreed with the rest of reviewers that this is no "quick" dish but I really enjoyed making it! I made it for my dad and he really loved it. I will add this to the list of summer pasta dishes. I don't think I would change anything about this other than more garlic. Really tasty flavors and very unique with the paprika and feta.

Henri

This was delicious. I scaled it down for two because I only had one zucchini and one lobster tail; used crème fraiche in lieu of cream; dry mint; forgot the lemon and it was still yummy. I don’t love lobster so one tail gave it lobster flavor without being too rich. It felt nourishing for a chilly evening.

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