Brown Butter Lobster, Bacon and Crispy Kale Fontina Pasta

Lobster and butter are a match made in heaven. You can't beat the sweet, savory flavor of the two together in a recipe. Add to that, bacon, crispy kale and pasta, and you've got the ultimate comfort seafood meal!

Servings: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes 

lobster pasta ideasNothing beats this healthy and hearty dish!

Ingredients:

  • 4 slices thick cut bacon
  • 4 (4-8 ounce) lobster tails
  • 6 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
  • 1 bunch kale, leaves torn away from the stem
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 pound angel pasta
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
  • 6-7 ounces fontina cheese, cubed
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley or both, chopped

    • Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, add kale, olive oil, parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat with your hands and massage kale for about 1 minute. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, tossing 1-2 times while cooking, until crispy. Remove and set aside.

    2. Bring pasta water to a boil and prepare pasta according to directions.

    3. While the kale is cooking and the water comes to a boil, start working on the bacon. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy – this usually takes about 7 minutes. Remove bacon from pan and set aside on paper towels to drain. Once cooled, crumble. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.

    4. To prepare the lobster, lay the lobster tails flat on a cutting board with the shell side facing upward. Using a very sharp, large knife, cut the tail in half lengthwise and slice all the way through the shell. Season the meat side lightly with salt and pepper.

    5. Bring the skillet used for bacon back to medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add 1 tablespoon of butter and swirl to coat. Place the lobster tails meat-side down in the pan and sear for 5 minutes or until the shells turn bright red. Remove tails from the pan and set aside.

    6. Add another tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the pasta, crushed red pepper, cayenne and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss well and cook for 2 minutes, just until the pasta is hot. Once the pasta is hot, add the tomatoes and cubed fontina cheese. Then remove the pasta from the heat, drizzle with lemon juice and toss well. Add in the crispy kale.

    7. In a separate small skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until just browned. Butter will melt, foam and froth, then begin to brown along the bottom. Whisk browned bits off of the bottom of the pan.

    8. Pop the lobster meat out of the shells and divide the pasta among plates or bowls. Top each plate with lobster meat and a sprinkle of chopped basil. Drizzle with browned butter and top with the crumbled bacon.

    This meal is so rich, savory and tasty, your heart will skip a beat. It's beautiful to look at, comforting to taste, and has a fresh, healthy look. It's the perfect family meal or fall warm-up dinner.

    Recipe and photo credit: www.halfbakedharvest.com