Creamy lobster risotto with big chunks of lobster is an easy meal that’s guaranteed to impress.
Let’s talk about lobster for a minute or two. Or hours. Maybe days. See, I love lobster. I’m maybe a little obsessed. I will find ways to put lobster into anything: lobster tacos, lobster salad, lobster rolls, lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, lobster BLTs, and now: lobster risotto. (Or sometimes I just go old school and steam those babies with a little butter. Mmm, mmm, mmm.)
But lobster isn’t easy you say. Wrong. For this recipe, I had my seafood guy steam them for me. He’s awesome and my big old lobster pot stayed nice and cozy in the cabinet. But lobster is expensive you say. Wrong again. Right now, lobster in my neck of the woods is $6.99 per pound. Compare that with the water-filled, plastic wrapped, artificially flavored deli turkey that is $10.99 a pound. Um, delicious fresh lobster or limp watery turkey? Duh.
And so, we eat lobster. Several times a week in fact. This lobster risotto is pretty easy. The ingredient list is short and there are even a few shortcuts you can take: have your seafood guy steam the lobster and use store-bought seafood stock instead of homemade lobster stock. (And make your husband clean the lobsters… Mine squeezed all the meat out of those little legs while I shelled the rest. Can you say teamwork?)
- 2 whole 1¼ pound lobsters, steamed
- 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp. black peppercorns
- 1 large yellow onion, halved
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 cup arborio or carnaroli rice
- 1 Tbsp. minced chives of scallions
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ pound asparagus, trimmed
- 1 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Shell the lobsters, keeping claws whole and cutting tails into large chunks. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- To make the lobster stock, pull the insides out of the bodies and break off the eyes and discard. Rinse all the shells in cool water.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the lobster shells and cook them for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add water to cover the shells, along with the bay leaves, peppercorns and half the onion.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for several hours until the liquid is reduced to about 3 cups.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve and discard solids. Keep broth warn in a pan on the stove.
- (NOTE: You can substitute 3 cups store-bought seafood stock and skip making the stock to save time.)
- Finely chop remaining half onion.
- Heat a pan over medium heat and add the butter and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add a good pinch of salt and then the rice. Stir to coat and cook for a minute or two.
- Start adding stock, a little at a time, stirring frequently. Add more stock once most of it is absorbed. You should use about 3 cups and it should take about 15-18 minutes.
- While the lobster is cooking, heat a grill over high heat. Toss the asparagus with the garlic, olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Grill for about 4-5 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Gently fold in the lobster and allow to heat through. Stir in the chives and Parmesan and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately with the grilled asparagus.
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