Fettuccine With Lobster, Tomatoes and Saffron

Ingredients

• 2 ribs celery cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 0.3 cup cooking wine dry white
• 1.5 pounds fettuccine barilla 
• 0.5 cup chives fresh chopped
• 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 8 servings kosher salt 
• 6 pound spiny lobsters cooled steamed may sub
• 4 tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin
• 1 medium onion red cut into 1/8 inch julienne
• 1 pinch saffron threads 
• 0.5 pound overripe tomatoes with juices cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 2 medium waxy potatoes cut into 1/8 inch dice

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• ladle
• pot
• colander

Directions

1. Remove the lobster meat from the shells and cut into 1/4-inch pieces.
2. Bring 8 quarts water to a boil in a large spaghetti pot and add 2 tablespoons salt.
3. In a 14-inch saute pan, heat the olive oil until smoking.
4. Add the onion, celery, potatoes and garlic and saute until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, wine and saffron and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 3 minutes. Drop the fettuccine into the boiling water and cook to one minute less than the package instructions. Just before it is done, carefully ladle 1/2 cup of the cooking water into the pan with the sauce.
6. Add the lobster to the tomato sauce in the pan and toss through.
7. Drain the pasta in a colander and dump into the pan with the sauce, add the chives and toss over medium heat about 30 seconds until nicely coated.
8. Pour into a heated bowl and serve.
9. Photograph by David Malosh