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Lobster and Risotto: A Match Made in Culinary Heaven
Ever had one of those meals that made your taste buds sing and dance? That’s what happens when you pair two of the culinary world’s most lavish ingredients – lobster and risotto. Let me let you in on a secret: these two are the dynamic duo of the fine dining universe, and they taste unbelievably amazing together!
First off, let’s talk lobster. This luxurious seafood is renowned for its rich, buttery flavor and delicate, tender texture. It’s like the A-lister of the ocean, turning any dish into a gourmet affair. And honestly, who can resist the allure of its sweet and succulent meat?
Enter the creamy risotto. A staple of Northern Italian cuisine, risotto, when executed perfectly, boasts a velvety consistency that is both rich and comforting. The rice grains, after absorbing the broth, become tender repositories of flavor. When enriched with butter, cheese, risotto transforms into the epitome of comfort food. Its velvety texture and ability to soak up flavors make it an excellent companion for a myriad of ingredients. But the magic is really the combination of lobster and risotto. The richness of the lobster complements the creaminess of the risotto, creating a harmonious blend of flavors that’s just out of this world.
Rich and creamy this lobster risotto recipe is the definition of obscenely delicious. The chunks of lobster along with a bit of bacon here and there make every bite amazing.
Notes
This recipe takes some time to make. Your kitchen will smell amazing. Just deal with the difficulty level because you are going love the results.
Ingredients
Lobster stock
- 1-2 cups celery, chopped
- ½ onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 carrot chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 10 cups water
- 5 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lemon, zested (for the risotto SEE BELOW) then chopped
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorn
- 2 Tbsp salt
- 2 Tbsp Sauce Goddess Sweet Heat spice
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lobster tail per person, lobster meat removed to cook later
- Any shrimp tails or other seafood “extras” you have left from other meals
- We’re going to cook this for 4 hours and let it reduce, then use the intense lobster stock to cook our risotto. We’re not eating any of the ingredients that go into the stock, just using them to infuse their amazing flavor into plain water.
Risotto
- ½ lb bacon, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 stick butter
- 1 lb Arborio rice
- 1 Tbsp Sweet Heat
- 1 cup Dry Sherry (not cooking sherry) or white wine
Garnish
- Lemon zest (from the lemons for the stock, zest first)
- Finely chopped basil, chives or parsley
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Prep-
- Get the lobster meat out of the tails.
- Cut both sides of the lobster shell with heavy duty scissors.
- Carefully pry the shell open with your hands. Be careful the shell is sharp.
- Remove the lobster meat and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Place it in a bowl and refrigerate until the final risotto is almost done. About 5 hours.
- Chop the veggies into chunks.
- Zest the lemon. Set zest aside and cut the lemon into chunks.
Making the stock-
- Load the veggies and the oil into your stock pot.
- Add salt and peppercorns and saute until veggies are tender.
- Add water and wine.
- Add lobster shells (and shrimp shells if you have them)
- Add thyme, bay leaves and Sweet Heat spices.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a medium simmer for 3-4 hours. Until it has reduced to 8 cups.
- Strain by placing a colander over another pot or very large bowl.
- Line the colander with cheesecloth to remove all shells and veggies.
Making the risotto-
- Saute the bacon until cooked and not crunchy.
- Remove excess oil. (leaving some of it is ok)
- Add shallots, garlic, butter and cook until tender.
- Add rice and stir to coat with the butter.
- Add 2 cups stock and stir and cook until the liquid is gone.
- Repeat the process until the rice is very very close to done cooked. No solid center and not mushy.
- Add the lobster meat and the final cup or two of stock.
- Stir to combine.
- Continue cooking until the liquid is mostly gone and the rice has finished cooking.
The beauty of combining lobster and risotto is that while they both have a luxurious vibe, there’s a comforting familiarity to the pairing. It’s like catching up with an old friend while wearing your fanciest outfit.
