Lobster spaghetti

Serves 4

This really is not as extravagant as you might think, since a little lobster goes a long way in this dish. We par cook the lobsters in their shells to ensure that the finished dish is not overcooked. At home, simply toss the lobster in the sauce at the end of the cooking time. Serve immediately with a crisp green salad and a super chilled glass of white Burgundy.

600g cherry tomatoes

1 chilli, deseeded and chopped

1 spring onion, finely sliced

1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped

50g unsalted butter

Freshly ground black pepper

125ml dry white wine

500g fresh spaghetti

1 tblsp olive oil

1 cooked lobster (750g whole cooked weight), meat removed

100ml double cream

3 tblsp freshly chopped basil

Parmesan cheese shavings

Olive oil to drizzle

Place the tomatoes, chilli, onion, garlic and butter in a heavy-based pan and cook over a moderate heat until soft but not coloured. Break the tomatoes up with a spoon as they cook.

Season with pepper, add the wine and cook slowly until the wine has virtually evaporated and the tomatoes have caramelised. The sauce will be quite chunky in texture: if you prefer a smoother sauce, pass the mixture through a sieve and return to the pan.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the spaghetti and oil and cook till al dente.
Take the lobster meat and cut into small medallions or bite-sized pieces. Drain the pasta in a colander and transfer to a warm serving plate.

Add the cream to the tomato sauce and bring to the boil, add the lobster and toss to warm through. Do not overcook at this stage.

Pour over the spaghetti, scatter over the basil and parmesan, drizzle with the oil.