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Brown butter two days in a row? Oops.
I was not planning on posting this today, but then I thought “why the heck not?”.
Two days of brown butter can never be a bad thing, especially when one is sweet and the other is savory. It is kind of perfect actually.
That and like I said yesterday, I have brown butter on the brain. Expect more because I promise it is coming.
I read somewhere in one of my millions of magazines I subscribe to that I let sit in a drawer for weeks upon weeks and then finally quickly flip through when I realize I am a month behind, that lobster is in season in September. To be honest, I really had no idea seafood had seasons. I mean, don’t fish live all year round?
I mean, I know they do, but maybe it is easier to catch them in the warmer months? Yeah, I am sure that has to be it. Right?
Ugh. Who knows, I think I need to do some reading. I feel like I should know this stuff.
Anyway, my point is lobster is in season all September long and that means it is probably going to be on sale (it already is here) and that means it’s time to eat some lobster!
Heck yes.
I can always be down with that.
Especially, when the lobster involves butter. Lobster and butter just go hand in hand. They work together to make each other better.
It’s a beautiful thing.
I used lobster tails for this because one, they are on sale, and two?
Well, I am way too scared to actually go and buy a live lobster, kill it, de-shell it and eat it. Sure, I think I could do it, but I really do not want to. I like lobster tails and they are easy and quick and well – already dead. Plus, I live in Colorado, in a small mountain town and I am pretty sure I would have to go to Denver to find a live one and even then I still think it might be hard.
So yeah, I am sticking with the tails. They never fail me.
The best part is that this dish is really simple.
It’s not like these Brown Butter Lobster Ravioli I made back in February that require a little more time. Although, that time is worth it. Those ravioli are still my all time favorite lobster dish, better than any restaurant. They are amazing and if you have the time and want to make some of the best homemade ravioli than you need to go and make those. Really you do.
But if you are looking for a quicker fix then this is your dish, it’s still totally amazing.
The crispy kale, the bacon, the fontina! It’s all so good and then topping if off with some fresh basil and a generous drizzle of brown butter?
Yeah, it’s pure awesomeness.
Brown Butter Lobster, Bacon + Crispy Kale and Fontina Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon
- 4 ounce lobster tails, 4-8
- 6 tablespoon butter, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 leaves bunch kale, torn away from the stem
- 2 tablespoon 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
- 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.
- Bring pasta water to a boil and prepare pasta according to directions.
- 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, 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.
- 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.
- Bring the skillet used for bacon back to medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add 1 tablespoon 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.
- To the same skillet add another tablespoon of butter. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, 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.
- In a separate small skillet melt 4 tablespoons 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.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Oh and the crispy kale? Yeah, expect a lot more of that too. It too is awesome.
Pure goodness. I have not had my fair share of lobster yet and since I only have one month for lobster season :D, I’d better get cooking some lobster. Thanks for the recipe. Looks delicious.
Yes, you better! LOL!
Thanks Chelsea!
Seriously your photos are AMAZING.
Thank you!! So happy you are enjoying them!
Wow! I have been craving some seafood. Now I know what I want!
Hope you give this a try and do love it!
Thanks Rina!
I LOVE every single one of these ingredients Tieghan! Especially the lobster. No wait, the brown butter. NO! The pasta. Or the fontina…. ahhh don’t make me choose. My mom loves lobster so much and we only make it once in a blue moon. Sending her this recipe b/c she will flip.
Thank you, Sally!! I hope your mom gives it a try! It truly is so good and Lobster lovers need to have it in their life! LOL!
This is such a stunning pasta dish and I’m drooling over that brown butter. Sadly I am allergic to lobster – I wish I wasn’t because this looks like such a scrumptious feast!
Oh man! Sorry to hear that, but my the seafood haters in the fam just ate the pasta….covered in brown butter! They loved it!!
Thanks Laura!
Lobster and brown butter, lots to love in this gorgeous dish!!
Thanks Julie!
I know, weird. Lamb has a season too – January. ??? I need to get some lobster, this looks fabulous!
That is so weird, January? Who knew?!
Thanks Dorothy!
HECK YES! That lobster on top looks so incredibly perfect!
Thank you, Des!
Your photos are so perfect – I can’t even handle it. I just want to dive in face first!!
Thank you so much, Jessica!!
Yum, yum, yum! I was always told that shellfish (crab, lobster, etc.) are “in season” in months with an “R” in them, so September-April. Don’t know if that’s true, but hey, why not?
Thanks Jillian! That sounds pretty good to me!
I found this recipe on Pinterest. It is 10 am and I am salivating. This. Is. Happening. Tonight.
Oh yes!! Let me know what you think!!!
Thanks Heather!
Tieghan,
I made it last night for dinner. I had to make one modification- the store I went to for ingredients didn’t have Fontina cheese (apparently they’re have a rough time getting it past customs) so I substituted Gruyere. Well let me tell you something. That was one of the BEST meals I have ever eaten. What an amazing recipe! I loved it! Yes, I am forced to eat quinoa salads for the rest of the week to make up for the cheese-pasta-bacon-butter-butter-and-more-butter I had last night- but totally worth it!!! Thanks girl!
-Heather
P.S. Husband went crazy for it. I think he wanted to marry me all over again. 🙂
Subbing with gruyere can NEVER be a bad thing. Now that’s some good cheese!
So incredibly happy you guys loved this meal!! Thank you for making it and for this nice comment!! Made my night! Oh and I have some pretty healthy and still delicious quinoa recipes if you are looking!
Thanks again, Heather!
Just pinned this and came over here to drool more. Oh em gee. I’d love to have this for lunch today!
Thank you, Kelly! Wish I could send you a giant plate full!
When it comes to browned butter, I say bring it on! Bring it ALL on!
P.S. I’m showing up to dinner with Jackie 😉 you’ve been warned!
Yes, yes, yes! Sound pretty awesome to me!
YOU’RE KILLING ME! I’m just going to show up at your house one day and demand that you make me dinner. It’ll be a little awkward, but that’s ok.
Please do!! I’d be so excited!! Maybe you could bring along some of those beer doughnuts?!?
You are a brown butter machine!! Bring it on girlfriend!
LOL! Thanks Lauren!