Originally created as a solution to limit waste, this dish became iconic at the one Michelin-starred Citrin restaurant in Santa Monica—and it’s surprisingly easy to make at home.
The dish originated in the early 2000s, just months after Josiah Citrin opened Melisse, which now has two Michelin stars and is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
Initially, this lobster bolognese was a creative way to reduce waste by using the knuckles and claws left over from a lobster tail dish on the menu. But it soon became a favorite.
“We used the lobster knuckles for an amuse, noting ‘subject to availability’ on the menu, thinking we’d stop serving it once we ran out of knuckles,” explains Citrin. “But the dish became so popular that we removed the note and started bringing in whole lobsters to make it. To this day, it’s still one of our most popular dishes. After the restaurant’s renovation five years ago, we moved the dish to Citrin, where it remains a star on the menu.”
And with good reason. Combining the finest ingredients from both land and sea, the dish features a rich, umami-packed sauce, sweet lobster, and a velvety truffle froth, creating a decadent version of an Italian classic.
In addition to being delicious, this recipe is also easy to make. Just be sure to reduce the Chardonnay fully to avoid any sharp flavors, and stir the tomato sauce while it simmers to prevent sticking. If you can manage that, you’ll be enjoying this indulgent lobster bolognese in no time.
How to Make Josiah Citrin’s Legendary Lobster Bolognese
Prepare the Bolognese Sauce:
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the halved garlic cloves and cook until fragrant and slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the peeled and seeded tomatoes and heat through, lightly seasoning with sea salt.
- Once tomatoes are heated, pour in the reduced Chardonnay and bring to a boil.
- Add the chicken stock and veal jus, then lower the heat to simmer. Stir often, and cook until the sauce thickens, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Pass the sauce through a food mill or sieve for a smooth texture, then set it aside to cool.
Prepare the Truffle Froth:
- In a tall pot, reduce the truffle juice by a quarter over medium heat.
- Stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the diced butter and truffle oil until the mixture is frothy.
- Season with sea salt, white pepper, and a few drops of lemon juice. Keep warm.
Cook the Lobster:
- If your lobsters are not pre-cooked, boil them in salted water for about 10-12 minutes until fully cooked. Remove the meat from the claws and tails, and dice into small pieces.
- Set the diced lobster meat aside for later use.
Cook the Linguine:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fresh linguine and cook for 1½ minutes. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the pasta water.
Assemble the Lobster Bolognese:
- Heat 2 large sauté pans over medium heat. Divide the tomato sauce between the pans.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to each pan and stir to emulsify the sauce.
- Add the diced lobster meat to the sauce and gently heat through without overcooking the lobster.
- Add the cooked linguine to the pans and toss with the sauce. If needed, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to help the sauce cling to the pasta.
- Stir in the diced opal and sweet basil leaves, and drizzle with olive oil.
Serve:
- Plate the linguine, ensuring an even distribution of lobster pieces.
- Use a hand blender to froth the truffle sauce, then spoon the frothy sauce over the plated pasta.
- Serve immediately.
Notes:
- To make peeling tomatoes easier, score the bottoms of the tomatoes and blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds before transferring to an ice bath. The skins should peel off easily.
- If you don’t have veal jus, substitute with an additional ½ cup of chicken stock for a milder flavor.
- The truffle froth is an optional but luxurious element. Feel free to use a simpler cream sauce if truffle juice or truffle oil is unavailable.
Josiah Citrin’s Legendary Lobster Bolognese
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
Originally created as a solution to limit waste, this dish became iconic at the one Michelin-starred Citrin restaurant in Santa Monica—and it’s surprisingly easy to make at home.
Ingredients
Lobster:
- 3 live Maine lobsters, 1 1/4 pounds each, cooked and meat diced (675 g total)
- 6 opal basil leaves, finely diced
- 6 sweet basil leaves, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (30 mL)
- 8 ounces fresh linguine pasta (225 g)
Bolognese Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (14 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, halved, germ removed
- 3 pounds vine-ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded (1.36 kg)
- 1/2 cup Chardonnay, reduced to 1/4 cup (120 mL reduced to 60 mL)
- 1 cup chicken stock (240 mL)
- 1/2 cup veal jus (120 mL)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Truffle Froth:
- 2 cups truffle juice (480 mL)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (60 mL)
- 2 ounces unsalted butter, diced (57 g)
- 1 teaspoon black truffle oil (5 mL)
- Sea salt, white pepper, and fresh lemon juice, to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Bolognese Sauce:
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the halved garlic cloves and cook until fragrant and slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the peeled and seeded tomatoes and heat through, lightly seasoning with sea salt.
Once tomatoes are heated, pour in the reduced Chardonnay and bring to a boil.
Add the chicken stock and veal jus, then lower the heat to simmer. Stir often, and cook until the sauce thickens, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Pass the sauce through a food mill or sieve for a smooth texture, then set it aside to cool.
Prepare the Truffle Froth:
In a tall pot, reduce the truffle juice by a quarter over medium heat.
Stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
Remove from heat and whisk in the diced butter and truffle oil until the mixture is frothy.
Season with sea salt, white pepper, and a few drops of lemon juice. Keep warm.
Cook the Lobster:
If your lobsters are not pre-cooked, boil them in salted water for about 10-12 minutes until fully cooked. Remove the meat from the claws and tails, and dice into small pieces.
Set the diced lobster meat aside for later use.
Cook the Linguine:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fresh linguine and cook for 1½ minutes. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the pasta water.
Assemble the Lobster Bolognese:
Heat 2 large sauté pans over medium heat. Divide the tomato sauce between the pans.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to each pan and stir to emulsify the sauce.
Add the diced lobster meat to the sauce and gently heat through without overcooking the lobster.
Add the cooked linguine to the pans and toss with the sauce. If needed, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to help the sauce cling to the pasta.
Stir in the diced opal and sweet basil leaves, and drizzle with olive oil.
Serve:
Plate the linguine, ensuring an even distribution of lobster pieces.
Use a hand blender to froth the truffle sauce, then spoon the frothy sauce over the plated pasta.
Serve immediately.
Notes
To make peeling tomatoes easier, score the bottoms of the tomatoes and blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds before transferring to an ice bath. The skins should peel off easily.
If you don’t have veal jus, substitute with an additional ½ cup of chicken stock for a milder flavor.
The truffle froth is an optional but luxurious element. Feel free to use a simpler cream sauce if truffle juice or truffle oil is unavailable.
- Prep Time: 45 min
- Cook Time: 90 min
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing, Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian, Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 300g
- Calories: 750
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 44g
- Cholesterol: 218mg
