Lobster Fettucine

After his initial "teasings", my husband is quite on board with my resolution to try one new recipe a week, and is even helping with suggestions.  What's funny is that he and I both came across the recipe for Lobster Fettucine within days of each other - he came across it at work and I at home.  Yes, I know, we are meant to be.  So it seemed suiting that I make it for us for Valentine's Day :-)  And...we even hit a sale on lobster, how fortunate was that?! (really...meant to be!).

This recipe is for a dinner for two, so be sure to adjust accordingly.

Here is the recipe:

1 cup thinly sliced fennel

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons flour

1/4 cup dry vermouth

3/4 cup whipping cream (35%)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 lobster tails, shelled and coarsely chopped
1/2 of a 350 g package fresh fettucine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Chives, chopped
Fresh pepper to taste

Heat a frying pan over medium.  Add butter and fennel.  Cook, stirring frequently, until fennel is soft, about 4 minutes.

Stir in flour and cook 1-2 minutes.

Add vermouth and cook until completely evaporated, about 2-3 minutes.

Whisk in cream, dijon and salt, stirring constantly until saucy, about 2 minutes.

Add lobster and simmer about 3 minutes.

Cook fettucine in boiling water, following package directions but omitting salt, until al dente, 3-4 minutes.  Drain then stir into sauce along with lemon juice.  Garnish with chives.

Thank you Chatelaine, February 2012 for the recipe.

And THANK YOU Mom and Dad for the vermouth!

VERDICT:
It was delicious!  I had never cooked with fennel (or vermouth) before, so not only was this a new recipe, there were new things that we'd never tried before.  We all loved the smell of the fennel though our oldest son thought it tasted too strong.  Must not have been too strong because he asked to eat the leftovers for supper tonight!  Anyways, this was a relatively easy meal to make, cracking the lobster was the hardest part (and my husband did that for me, thanks hun!).  We all enjoyed the meal, along with the recommended pairing of a pinot grigio (our son had juice, that was a little Valentine's treat for him!).  I did add a little fresh pepper to the dish, but other than that, it was good!

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