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Garlic Butter Grilled Lobster with Cacio e Pepe Pasta

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Garlic butter grilled lobster is a full flavored dish made by grilling lobster over hot charcoal. The lobster is basted in a mix of garlic, butter, and chili oil, then topped with a squeeze of lemon. A simple pairing of cacio e pepe and high quality sake brings harmony to the meal and helps the lobster shine even brighter.

We recently won a giveaway for lobster and sake, courtesy of E-fish and Tippsy Sake. Their customer services are unparalleled and we received both products within only 2 days. We grilled the lobsters and enjoyed them with sake and cacio e pepe for our weekly date night and this was a meal to remember!

Not a sponsored post: Since this was a gift, they didn’t ask us for anything in return but this meal was so good we wanted to share our recipe so you can create this experience at home too!

About E-Fish and Tippsy Sake

E-Fish is a fresh, local, and sustainable seafood provider. They’re a small business based in San Diego, and their dock-to-door method ensures that you receive high-quality seafood within two days of harvesting. The California spiny lobsters they gifted us were so fresh and incredibly meaty in their tails!

Tippsy Sake is a subscription-based sake provider that delivers sake on a quarterly schedule. Each sake comes with a postcard with details on tasting notes, origin, and pairing suggestions. We paired our lobster with a junmai sake from their subscription box. Perfect for all the sake lovers out there! Use our referral link to get $20 off your order.

How to prepare fresh, live lobster

  • For fresh lobsters, place them in a glass bowl with a damp paper towel on top. Let them sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
  • Lay the lobster belly-down. Place your sharp knife on the nape of the neck with the blade pointing forward, then very firmly split the head in half.
  • Turn the knife around and follow the line of your first cut to split the rest of the body and tail. Use your fingers to open the lobster into two halves. If desired, remove the tomalley by gently rinsing the head with water.

How to make garlic butter grilled lobster

  • Season the lobster with salt and pepper. Baste the shell with oil to help prevent too much charring.
  • Combine butter, garlic, chives, and chili oil in a saucepan. Stir until melted. Set aside.
  • Grill the lobster meat side down for 5 minutes. Flip then baste with butter sauce. Squeeze lemon on top. Grill for 5 more min.

How to make cacio e pepe

  • Cook spaghetti noodles per package instructions.
  • Toss in shredded cheese and butter. Add salt and a generous amount of pepper. Toss for 3 min or until cheese is melted.

Sake pairing for lobster

We paired our lobster with Nanbu Bijin “Tokubetsu Junmai.” It’s taste profile is light & dry, and has orange and cream tasting notes with a clean aftertaste. We felt that the citrus and cream helped to accentuate the lemon, buttery flavors in the lobster.

Tip: Junmai is generally a great beginner’s sake, because it pairs well with a wide variety of flavors. If you’re unsure of what sake to choose for your meal, Junmai is always a great option.

Use our referral link for $20 off your order with Tippsy Sake!

Final Thoughts

Lobster, pasta, and sake is a heavenly combination you don’t want to miss out on. Use high-quality ingredients for this simple recipe, and you’ve turned your kitchen into a five-star dining experience!

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Garlic Butter Grilled Lobster with Cacio e Pepe Pasta

Lobster, pasta, and sake is a heavenly combination you don't want to miss out on. Use high-quality ingredients for this simple recipe, and you've turned your kitchen into a five-star dining experience!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Asian, Italian
Keyword butter, garlic, grill, lobster, noodles, pasta
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients

Garlic Butter Grilled Lobster

  • 2 wild-caught California spiny lobsters
  • salt & pepper
  • ½ stick butter unsalted
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 bunch chives minced
  • 1-2 tbsp chili oil
  • 1 lemon

Cacio e Pepe

  • 1 lb spaghetti noodles cooked per package instructions
  • ½ stick butter unsalted
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 cup parmesan or pecorino romano cheese shredded

Toppings/Garnish

  • 1 lemon sliced
  • chives minced
  • dried shredded pepper

Instructions

Split and prepare the lobster

  • For fresh lobsters, place them in a glass bowl with a damp paper towel on top. Let them sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
  • Lay the lobster belly-down. Place your sharp knife on the nape of the neck with the blade pointing forward, then very firmly split the head in half.
  • Turn the knife around and follow the line of your first cut to split the rest of the body and tail. Use your fingers to open the lobster into two halves. If desired, remove the tomalley by gently rinsing the head with water.

Grill the lobster with garlic butter sauce

  • Season the lobster with salt and pepper. Baste the shell with oil to help prevent too much charring.
  • Combine butter, garlic, chives, and chili oil in a saucepan. Stir until melted. Set aside.
  • Grill the lobster meat side down for 5 minutes. Flip then baste with butter sauce. Squeeze lemon on top. Grill for 5 more min.

Make cacio e pepe

  • Cook spaghetti noodles per package instructions.
  • Toss in shredded cheese and butter. Add salt and a generous amount of pepper. Toss for 3 min or until cheese is melted.

To serve

  • Serve with lemon, chives, dried peppers, and your favorite sake!

References & Further Reading

https://www.e-fish.com/pages/seafood-care-preperation-tips

https://brolos.com.au/recipes/split-a-lobster/

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Noelle Noriesta

Noelle Noriesta, a Filipino-American home cook, is the principal creator of Fork and Spoon. Her recipes have a modern and playful approach inspired by her food experiences growing up in the Bay Area and now in Los Angeles. --Read more about me

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