Lobster and Shells

This recipe is a Barefoot Contessa masterpiece. Ina Garten is definitely one of my favorite celebrity cooks. Her recipes tend to be so simple to prepare. Always with the best ingredients and most often can be made in advance. This recipe is no exception. Recipe follows:

Ingredients

Kosher salt
Good olive oil
1 pound small pasta shells (I could only find medium, and it worked fine)
Kernels from 8 ears of corn (about 6 cups)
12 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
2 yellow or orange peppers, seeded and small- diced
2 pints cherry tomatoes,halved
2 pounds fresh lobster meat,medium -diced
1 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups fresh dill

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt and a dash of olive oil. Add the pasta and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Add the corn kernels to the pasta and cook it for another 2 minutes, until the corn is tender. Drain the pasta and corn together in a colander and pour them into a large mixing bowl. Add the scallions, diced pepper, tomatoes, and lobster. Tossing gently to combine. Allow to cool slightly.

In a small bow, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, 4 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons black pepper until smooth. Pour over the pasta and mix well to bind the ingredients. Stir in the dill. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to 6 hours to allow the flavors to develop. Check the seasonings and served chilled or at room temperature.

Notes:

This recipe serve 16 servings...so it certainly could be cut in half..However it is a crowd pleaser and makes awesome leftovers.

I think shrimp could be substituted for the lobster...if so I would recommend roasting the shrimp in the oven with olive oil and salt and pepper. I would use a 21/25 count. I would of course remove the tails and split in half. I would still use 2 pounds. Remember the shellfish is the star!

Enjoy!!!