Cajun Lobster Pasta

Louisiana flavors and pasta are a natural match, but they don’t often get the luxury lobster upgrade! Chef Fernando Ortiz preps the sauce ahead and uses pre-cooked, frozen pasta from Barilla for a quick pickup off the line with layers of flavor. 

CAJUN PASTA SAUCE
3 oz olive oil blend
1 ½ lbs yellow onions, rough chopped
2 oz fresh jalapeno, chopped with seeds
6 oz fresh garlic, chopped
2 tbsp Magic Blackened Redfish Seasoning
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 G 40% heavy cream
1 G half-and-half
½ G chicken stock
½ C Creole mustard
3 oz tomato paste
3 oz canned chipotle, pureed in adobo sauce
1 ½ lbs shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
CAJUN LOBSTER PASTA (PER PORTION)
1 oz olive oil
3 oz poached lobster meat
2 oz andouille sausage, ¼-in bias cut
2 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
2 oz green onions, 1 ½-in bias cut, plus greens for garnish
2 oz cremini mushrooms, ¼-in slices
8 fl oz Cajun Pasta Sauce
6 oz Barilla Penne, IQF
Instructions

Blanching method:

  1. Thaw/Slack pasta on sheet trays in a single layer for at least 1 hour
  2. Add pasta to boiling salted water and blanch for 45 seconds
  3. Drain pasta and combine with sauce

NOTE:

If cooking for immediate service add 30 seconds additional cook time

Sauce method (64oz sauce 64oz pasta):

  1. Thaw/Slack pasta on sheet trays in a single layer for at least 1 hour
  2. Bring your sauce to a simmer and add 1 cup of water for every 32oz of sauce
  3. Add the slacked pasta and cook for 2 minutes and 30 seconds in the simmering sauce

Impinger oven (set to 500°F):

7″ round aluminum tin

  1. Thaw/Slack pasta on sheet trays in a single layer for at least 1 hour
  2. Combine 4 oz pasta with 8 oz sauce
  3. Add the contents to a 7″ round aluminum tin

4. Cook covered for 9 min (1.5x through the oven)

9″ round aluminum tin

  1. Thaw/Slack pasta on sheet trays in a single layer for at least 1 hour
  2. Combine 6 oz pasta with 12 oz sauce
  3. Add the contents to a 7″ round aluminum tin
  4. Cook covered for 9 min (1.5x through the oven)

Steamer Method:

Full hotel pan (2 inch deep )

  1. Thaw/Slack pasta on sheet trays in a single layer for at least 1 hour
  2. Combine 40 oz of pasta and 80 of sauce in full hotel pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil
  3. Steam for 17 minutes on full steam

Half pan (2 inch deep)

  1. Thaw/Slack pasta on sheet trays in a single layer for at least 1 hour
  2. Combine 20 oz of pasta and 40 of sauce in a half hotel pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil
  3. Steam for 17 minutes on full steam

Microwave Method:

  1. Thaw/Slack the pasta on sheet trays in a single later for at least 1 hour
  2. Add 7 oz of pasta and 7 oz of sauce a long with 1/4 cup of water and mix.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 2 minutes
  4. Remove from microwave and carefully uncover, stir then cover again.
  5. Microwave on high for an additional 1 minute.
  6. Remove from microwave and transfer to serving dish or delivery packaging

For the Cajun Pasta Sauce:

  1. Add olive oil to a sauce-pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and jalapeno, then the garlic and crushed pepper. Cook for 1 minute to release flavor.
  2. Fold in the blackening seasoning and stir for 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in the cream, half-and-half, stock, mustard, tomato paste, and chipotle puree. Bring to a simmer and reduce for 45 minutes.
  4. Whisk in the Parmesan and stir until melted. Remove from the heat.
  5. Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth. Pour into a cooling pan and refrigerate.

For serving, per portion:

  1. Preheat a 10-in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil to warm.
  2. Add the lobster and sausage and cook for 2 minutes, searing the sausage.
  3. Add the tomatoes, green onions, and mushrooms and saute for 1 minute.
  4. Ladle in the sauce and allow it to come to a full boil, stirring it over the heat.
  5. Cook the pasta for 1 minutes, according to package instructions. Drain.
  6. Add pasta to the sauce and toss until fully coated and hot through. Mound pasta in a bowl, trying to get most of the vegetables to the top of the mound.
  7. Garnish with green onions and a drizzle of oil.