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Butter Poached Lobster Tails in Garlic, Caper, Sauce over Fettuccine

Butter Poached Lobster Tails in Garlic, Caper, Sauce over Fettuccine

Tender lobster tails poached in rich butter then folded into a garlicky, caper-studded sauce, brightened with lemon, and tossed with silky fettuccine - a decadent, restaurant-quality pasta you can make at home.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Course: Entrée
Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Lobster tails 6–7 oz each, in shell
  • 3 Sticks Unsalted butter 1½ cups
  • 2 Shallots finely minced
  • 2 Tbsp Finely minced onion optional
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 2 Tbsp Capers drained
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • Juice of ½ lemon plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp cool water
  • Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
  • 1 Package Fettuccine - 12oz
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 cups Reserved pasta water from cooking the pasta

Equipment

  • 1 Kitchen Shears

Method
 

Step 1 – Cook the Pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Cook fettuccine until just al dente.
  3. Before draining, scoop out about 2 cups of the starchy pasta water and set aside for later.
  4. Drain pasta, toss lightly with a bit of butter or oil to prevent sticking, and keep warm.
Step 2 – Prep the Lobster Tails
  1. Thaw lobster tails fully if frozen.
  2. Using kitchen shears, cut a straight line down the top of each shell to the tail fan.
  3. Gently loosen the meat from the sides of the shell but leave it resting inside.
  4. Remove any dark vein (digestive tract) and pat dry.
Step 3 – Create the Butter–Water Emulsion
  1. In a deep skillet or saucepan, melt 3 sticks butter with ½ cup water over very low heat.
  2. Stir gently until smooth and blended into a glossy emulsion.
Step 4 – Poach the Lobster
  1. Add the prepared lobster tails
  2. Poach gently 7–9 minutes, spooning poaching liquid over the meat, until meat is opaque and tender.
  3. Remove tails to cool slightly.
Step 5 – Infuse Lobster Flavor
  1. Return the empty shells to the butter-water mixture.
  2. Let them steep 5–10 minutes over low heat to extract maximum flavor.
  3. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth.
  4. The result is your lobster butter base.
Step 6 – Build the Sauce
  1. In a large skillet, heat 3–4 Tbsp lobster butter over medium-low.
  2. Add shallots and onion; cook 3–4 minutes until translucent.
  3. Add garlic and lemon zest; sauté about 30 seconds.
  4. Stir in capers and cook 1 minute.
  5. Pour in the remaining lobster butter and ½ cup reserved pasta water.
  6. Stir in lemon juice, then whisk in the cornstarch slurry.
  7. Simmer very gently until slightly thickened and glossy, stirring constantly.
  8. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
  9. (Add a bit more pasta water if the sauce tightens too much.)
Step 7 – Combine Lobster and Pasta
  1. Remove lobster meat from shells and dice into bite-size pieces.
  2. Add lobster to the sauce and warm through gently — do not boil.
  3. Add cooked fettuccine and toss until well-coated, adding splashes of pasta water as needed for a silky texture.
Step 8 – Finish & Serve
  1. Stir in chopped parsley.
  2. Adjust lemon, salt, and pepper to taste.
  3. Optionally top with a bit more fresh lemon zest.
  4. Serve immediately with crusty bread for mopping up the buttery sauce.