Truffle Envy: Orechette with Truffled Lobster & Shrimp

There was a run on truffle cutters at work this week. Really, our store ran out. Every one we had sold, so apparently, our neighbors over at DiBruno Brothers in Ardmore were selling truffles hand over fist. One lady on Monday, disappointed that we had no more cutters, kindly showed me her little plastic tub of rice with 2 walnut-sized black truffles in it. She complained that they had been out of the white Italian truffles, so she'd had to settle for the black ones. I wanted to snatch the container from her hands and run like hell. I have some self control, though not much when it comes to truffles.

Not having a truffle budget, I've added all sorts of truffle-infused products to my pantry and freezer so I can indulge my cravings without going broke. D'Artagnan's black truffle butter, some black truffle salt, and black truffle oil were going to have to do the job of my still-coveted black truffle shavings. Lounging in the freezer were two small Maine lobster tails and part of a bag of Gulf shrimp leftover from our Christmas festivities. New Year's Day is still a reason to have a nice dinner, especially since it was just going to be the two of us, and I was using up leftovers, right? Luxurious leftovers, to be sure, but hey, the holidays come but once a year.

The actual hands-on cooking part goes fast, but you'll need to start about 45 minutes ahead, since so much of the flavor of this dish comes from making a quick stock from the shrimp and lobster shells and cooking it down. That takes next to no work on your part and is crucial to the deep seafood flavor of this dish. And please, if you can, buy domestic seafood whenever you can for both food safety and keeping our fishermen at work.

I love this so much, I'm having a VERY happy new year so far...I think you will too, if you make this for dinner soon.

Lobster, shrimp and truffles, oh, my!

Orechette with Truffled Lobster & Shrimp 

Ingredients:

2 (4-6 oz) Maine lobster tails, thawed 
12 oz. Gulf shrimp, thawed
1/2 cup dry white wine
2T D'Artagnan black truffle butter
two pinches black truffle salt
2T minced fresh chives
Black truffle oil to drizzle

2 oz. whole wheat orechette pasta, or small shells

Instructions:

1. Shell and devein the shrimp, and remove the lobster meat from the shells, by cutting through the underside of the shells with a scissors and pulling the meat free.  Cut the lobster into 5-6 bite sized pieces, and then place all of the shellfish in a bowl and refrigerate. 

2. Place all the shells into a medium saucepan, add the white wine, and barely cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook about 20 minutes until there is just about 1 cup of liquid left in the pot. Strain out all the shells, and place the resulting stock back into the saucepan.

The lobster shells will turn bright red as they cook,
 and depending on the variety of shrimp you've used,
 their shells will turn pink.

3. Bring a pasta pot of water to a boil, salt well, and cook the orechette until just past al dente, about 11-12 minutes. Drain and set aside.

4. Bring the stock to a boil in the saucepan, add all the shrimp and lobster, and cook stirring just until the shrimp and lobster are opaque. Add the truffle butter, the truffle salt, and the chives and stiruntil the butter has melted and the sauce looks creamy. Add the pasta and cook for another minute, tossing the pasta in the sauce to coat well. Place in a heated serving bowl, and drizzle with the truffle oil just before serving.

Serves 2-3