Fernando Ortiz
Senior Manager of Culinary Operations
Margaritaville

Barilla^® Cajun Lobster Pasta

Recipe courtesy of Fernando Ortiz
Sponsor: Barilla America

Servings: 1 6-oz portion

Ingredients

Cajun Pasta Sauce:

• 3 oz olive oil blend
• 1 ½ lbs yellow onions, rough chopped
• 2 oz fresh jalapeño, chopped with seeds
• 6 oz fresh garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Magic Blackened Redfish Seasoning
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 gal 40% heavy cream
• 1 gal half-and-half
• ½ gal chicken stock
• ½ c Creole mustard
• 3 oz tomato paste
• 3 oz canned chipotle, pureed in adobo sauce
• 1 ½ lbs shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Cajun Lobster Pasta (per portion):

• 1 oz olive oil
• 3 oz poached lobster meat
• 2 oz andouille sausage, ¼-in bias cut
• 2 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 oz green onions, 1 ½-in bias cut, plus greens for garnish
• 2 oz cremini mushrooms, ¼-in slices
• 8 fl oz Cajun Pasta Sauce
• 6 oz Barilla Frozen^® Penne

Directions

For the Cajun Pasta Sauce:

1. Add olive oil to a saucepot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and jalapeño, then the garlic and crushed pepper. Cook for 1 minute to release flavor.
2. Fold in the blackening seasoning and stir for 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the cream, half-and-half, stock, mustard, tomato paste and chipotle purée. Bring to a simmer and reduce for 45 minutes.
4. Whisk in the Parmesan and stir until melted. Remove from the heat.
5. Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth. Pour into a cooling pan and refrigerate.

For serving, per portion:

1. Preheat a 10-in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil to warm.
2. Add the lobster and sausage and cook for 2 minutes, searing the sausage.
3. Add the tomatoes, green onions and mushrooms and sauté for 1 minute.
4. Ladle in the sauce and allow it to come to a full boil, stirring it over the heat.
5. Cook the pasta for 1 minute, according to package instructions. Drain.
6. Add pasta to the sauce and toss until fully coated and hot through. Mound pasta in a bowl, trying to get most of the vegetables to the top of the mound.
7. Garnish with green onions and a drizzle of oil.

Project Management: Summit F&B
Photography: Carlos Garcia // Food Styling: Peg Blackley