Last week my husband and I spent a week in Maine starting in Portland, venturing north to Deer Isle for a few days, and then stopping on the shore near Bath at the end. We loved the beautiful seaside views, the friendliness of Mainers, and the glorious seafood. My husband ordered oysters every place we dined, while I chose lobster. I savored the coral-hued chunks in Maine’s celebrated lobster rolls and swooned over fresh whole lobsters served with warm herb butter.
Inspired by my lobster eating spree, when we returned home to Amherst, Massachusetts, I wasted no time before heading to a local supermarket where I could buy cooked picked lobster meat at the seafood counter. I used it to prepare a recipe for Penne with Lobster, Summer Corn, and Basil. For this colorful main course, which serves four and takes only about 30 minutes to prep and cook, I sautéed corn kernels in olive oil until slightly golden, then warmed the lobster meat in melted butter in a skillet. Next, I cooked and drained the pasta, then stirred in mascarpone and Parmesan cheeses that melted to form a sauce. To finish, the pasta was tossed with the corn and lobster plus some lemon zest, then mounded it in shallow bowls. Torn fresh basil leaves made a simple garnish.
If picked lobster meat is not available in your markets, you can cook a couple of whole lobsters, and use their meat for this this dish. Either way, I hope you’ll try this simple yet striking dish for a special summer supper.
