This sumptuous dish is striking in its beauty and complexity, and it’s refreshingly simple to put together. The tender lobster knuckle and claw meat gives body to the butter that’s dabbed onto the scallops. The coconut sauce has notes of ginger, lemongrass, and garlic to create a depth of flavor that will knock your socks off! I like to pair this recipe with fun-looking noodles, like the richly colored forbidden rice noodles pictured. That being said, the dish works just as well with plain Pad Thai noodles, sweet potato noodles, or even linguini noodles in a pinch (which my husband, Paul, can attest to).
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To start, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add ½ of the lobster meat and poach on low for about 5-7 minutes. (you don’t want the butter to come to a proper boil, but a few little bubbles are fine).
Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the butter, and repeat with the next batch. Leave a small amount of butter in the saucepan, strain the lobster-infused butter through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into an airtight jar, but leave a small amount of butter in the saucepan. Take about ½ tsp out and set it aside to dab onto the scallops later. Store the rest of the lobster butter in the refrigerator for future use (it’s packed full of delicious flavor and goes well on basically everything).
Using the same saucepan as before, cook off your ginger and garlic until fragrant.
Add the lemongrass paste and cook off until the ingredients begin to brown.
Add the coconut cream and stir well to incorporate all of the ingredients together. If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove a little of the liquid and add the cornstarch into it, mix it up, and return the mixture to the saucepan.
Add the cilantro leaves and Thai green curry paste and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the sauce to keep warm.
Bring a large saucepan or pot full of aggressively salted water to a boil. While the water is coming to temperature, heat a medium-sized skillet on high heat and the avocado oil. Season the top and bottom of the scallops with salt and pepper. Once the oil is rippling, add the scallops, leaving a little room between each scallop. Cook for 2 minutes (DO NOT MOVE THEM), then flip them and sear for another minute. Remove from the skillet, set aside, and smear each top with the smallest hint of lobster butter.
Once the water is boiling, add your noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Strain and add to the sauce. Toss well to cover all of the noodles in sauce, and transfer to your serving plates or dishes. Top with the lobster meat and scallops, then garnish with the strips of scallion.
Thai Coconut Noodles with Lobster and Scallops
Ingredients
- 2 5.5 fl oz cans coconut cream
- 1 stick butter, cubed
- scallops
- 8 oz lobster knuckle and claw meat, dried very well
- 6 oz scallops, dried very well
- 2 tsp avocado oil (or other oil with a high smoke point)
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp ginger, julienned about 1/2" long
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp lemongrass paste
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch (optional, if you want the sauce on the thicker side)
- 1 small bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
- sriracha (optional), to taste
- ½ tsp Thai green curry paste
- 2-3 scallions, shredded length-wise for garnish
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add ½ of the lobster meat and cook on low (you don't want the butter to come to a boil) for about 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the butter, and repeat with the next batch.
- Leaving a small amount in the saucepan, strain the lobster-infused butter through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into an airtight jar, and reserve about ½ tsp for the scallops. Store in the refrigerator for future use (this butter goes well on basically everything and is packed full of delicious flavor).
- Using the same saucepan as before, cook off your ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add the lemongrass paste and cook off until the ingredients begin to brown.
- Add the coconut cream and stir well to incorporate all of the ingredients together. If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove a little of the liquid and add the cornstarch into it, mix it up, and return the mixture to the saucepan.
- Add the cilantro leaves and Thai green curry paste and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the sauce to keep warm.
- Bring a large saucepan or pot full of aggressively salted water to a boil. While the water is coming to temperature, heat a medium-sized skillet on high heat and the avocado oil. Season the top and bottom of the scallops with salt and pepper. Once the oil is rippling, add the scallops, leaving a little room between each scallop. Cook for 2 minutes (DO NOT MOVE THEM), then flip them and sear for another minute. Remove from the skillet, set aside, and smear each top with the smallest hint of lobster butter.
- Once the water is boiling, add your noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Strain and add to the sauce. Toss well to cover all of the noodles in sauce, and transfer to your serving plates or dishes. Top with the lobster meat and scallops, then garnish with the strips of scallion.