Tonight’s weekend splurge was lobster risotto, adapted from the January/February Cooking Light. Risotto can seem intimidating, but it’s really not that difficult if you’re willing to give it a bit of time. I also prefer cooking my own to eating it out, since I can control the sodium content.
Cooking Light included the recipe in their 5 ingredient column, but I added a few extra ingredients:
- 2 small/medium lobster tails
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth + 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- frozen peas, thawed
- 1/2 cup white wine (my addition)
- 2 tbsp. shredded parmesan (my addition)
Cooking Light‘s recipe uses 3 lobster tails, but that felt a bit beyond my budget, so I limited my version to 2. I also couldn’t bring myself to cook risotto without a splash of wine and a hint of parmesan. I like a Sauvignon Blanc that I can pair with the meal, but a Chardonnay also would work.
To fix the risotto, bring the chicken broth and water to a boil in a stock pot. Add the lobster and boil for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the lobster, allow it to cool, and remove the meat from the shell. Add one tablespoon of butter to the meat and set the meat aside.
Put the shell in a ziploc bag and crush the shell with a mallet or heavy pan. (Note: I tried to use my chef’s knife to break the shell into smaller pieces and ended up with a piece of shell cutting into my hand. Don’t do what I did. Take the time to put the shell in the ziploc bag…) Add the crushed shell pieces to the broth, return to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes. Pour the broth through a sieve, discarding the solids and reserving the broth. Return the broth to the stove and keep it warm. Add 2 tbsp. of the broth to the reserved lobster meat.
In a skillet, melt 2 tbsp. butter. Add the rice and stir until the rice is evenly coated with the butter. Add the wine and stir continuously over medium heat until the wine is almost completely absorbed. Add 1 cup of broth, stirring occasionally until the broth is almost absorbed. Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time, stirring occasionally.
When the last of the broth is almost absorbed, stir in the peas, the reserved lobster meat, and the parmesan. Serve immediately.
A nice encore to this rich, one-dish meal is poached pairs. Alternatively, pair the risotto with a green salad.