Description
Ina Garten’s Lobster & Shells elevates comfort pasta with luxurious seafood and rich cream sauce. Creamy shells nestled with tender lobster meat create an indulgent Mediterranean-inspired dish perfect for special dinners you’ll savor to the last delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound cooked fresh lobster meat, medium-diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 ears of corn, kernels removed (about 3 cups)
- ½ pound small pasta shells (such as Ronzoni)
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 6 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and small-diced
- ¾ cup minced fresh dill
Dressing and Seasoning:
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup good olive oil
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water, adding kosher salt and a splash of olive oil. Cook the pasta for 8-10 minutes until tender yet firm. During the final 2 minutes, introduce corn kernels to the boiling water. Drain both pasta and corn simultaneously using a colander, then transfer to a spacious mixing bowl.
- Incorporate scallions, diced bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, and succulent lobster meat into the pasta-corn mixture. Gently toss ingredients to ensure even distribution, allowing the mixture to cool slightly.
- Prepare the creamy dressing by whisking mayonnaise, sour cream, freshly squeezed lemon juice, kosher salt, and ground black pepper in a small mixing bowl until smooth and well-blended.
- Drizzle the prepared dressing over the pasta salad, stirring thoroughly to coat each ingredient evenly. Delicately fold in chopped fresh dill, seasoning with an additional kosher salt and black pepper.
- Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 6 hours to allow flavors to meld. Before serving, taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve either chilled or at room temperature for optimal enjoyment.
Notes
- Maximize Flavor Fusion by Chilling the Salad Slowly, allowing ingredients to blend and develop a deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Preserve Vegetable Crunch by Adding Fresh, Uncooked Corn, Bell Peppers, and Tomatoes that provide exciting texture contrast to the creamy lobster base.
- Balance Seasoning Carefully, Starting with Minimal Salt and Pepper, then Adjusting After Chilling to Prevent Overwhelming the Delicate Lobster Meat.
- Select Premium Lobster Meat as the Star Ingredient, Choosing Fresh-Cooked Options or High-Quality Frozen Alternatives for Optimal Taste and Tenderness.
- Cook Pasta to Perfect Al Dente Consistency, Ensuring a Firm Texture That Stands Up to the Rich, Creamy Dressing Without Becoming Soggy.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 371 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 327 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 86 mg