Lobster & Saffron Risotto - just saying the name and I can see the $$$ signs flashing before my eyes (and yours too I suppose)!
In my defense, we found live lobster at the market for $6/lb and we’re in that Holiday bubble. You know what I’m talking about…the kids are home, we’re all high on too much sugar, too much gluwine and too much food. So adding some more won’t hurt a bit! Or so I’m telling myself.
The reality is when the first of the year comes rolling in and reality bites, the bills come rolling in and the lbs go reeling up – is NOT the time to make this dish.
So I’m making this now – just in time for that special holiday/New Year’s eve meal. As you see, I can play ostrich in the sand with the best of them!
This risotto got me to sit up and pay attention when I first read the recipe in Molto Mario, years ago. So I am pleased that it is a spin off Batali’s recipe – I have however added my own risotto success techniques because in my opinion, when it comes to somethings, you’ve got to stick with what you know works.
For one, I love a whole lot of flavoring in the risotto – so I added red chili flakes and saffron. Since the flavor base is the stock, I can’t imagine cooking the risotto in water so for seafood, I’m partial to a mix of chicken stock, clam juices and water with other flavoring veggies and herbs thrown in.
Next, I can’t imagine making risotto with a set time in my head – that changes with the age of the rice, it’s quality and the btu’s you’re working with. I know that on my no-frills gas burner, no way I’m ever going to fix risotto in 15 minutes!
So with risotto the determining factor, the performance indicator if you will is the mouth-feel; rice that’s cooked to al-dente with a soft creaminess. So no matter what time a recipe calls for, you keep going until you’ve reached it.
Having said that once you give yourself enough time and patience, risotto needs very few ingredients to make it incredibly amazing! Like in this risotto, once we have the stock base, all we’re adding is onions, tomato paste, wine and of course Arborio rice (and only Arborio rice).
At the end, parsley, butter, saffron and lobster - high-quality ingredients done just right!
Gather the ingredients,
2 qty (1- 1/2-pound) fresh lobsters
1 carton chicken stock
1 bottle (1-1/2 cup) clam juice
3 cups water
1 small yellow onion for stock
1 small carrot
4-5 Parsley sprigs
1 large Spanish red onion
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 -1/2 cups Arborio rice (Vialone Nano brand preferred)
1 cup dry white wine (good quality - the same bottle you’ll have with dinner!)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs unsalted butter (preferably European)
½ tsp grade A, Saffron strands (I'm using Saffron from Mt Etna!)
Italian Parsley to yield 1/4 cup finely chopped
Lobsters: Have the fishmonger, halve the lobster lengthwise and cut the tail into 2-3 pieces. Leave the shell on.
Yellow onion & carrot for stock: Peel and roughly dice the onion. Cut the carrot into circles, discarding ends.
Spanish red onion: Peel the onions and discard the ends. Finely chop and set aside.
Rice: Measure and set aside.
Bring the stock, clam juice & water to boil with the coarsely chopped onion, carrot, and parsley sprigs.
Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath with cold water.
As soon as the stock liquid is at a rolling boil, plunge the lobster into the boiling liquid and cook for exactly 3 minutes – tracking the time with a timer.
Remove with a large metal slotted spoon and submerge the lobster in ice water 1 minute. Drain and set aside. Remove the lobster meat from the claws.
Cook’s Note: I prefer to keep the other lobster pieces in the shell since it makes a nice color contrast with the rice and the meat comes off easily.
Keep the lobster stock, warm on low heat on the stove with a metal ladle.
In a 12 -inch frying pan with 3-inch sides, heat the olive oil until very hot.
Add the finely chopped onion and ¼ tsp salt. Sauté the onion for 5-7 minutes over medium heat until softened and translucent but not brown.
Add the tomato paste & red pepper flakes and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes or so.
Add the rice and, stirring constantly, cook until opaque, about 2 minutes.
Add the white wine & then the lobster stock ladle by ladle, until the rice is covered.
Turn the heat to medium-high and stirring constantly, continue to cook the rice until the stock is absorbed.
Add another 2 ladles of stock and stirring frequently, cook the rice until the liquid is absorbed by the rice. Keep adding the liquid 2 ladles at a time until the rice cooks to al-dente and turns creamy at the same time. This could take as long as 40 minutes or so.
Cook’s Note: The rice should have a bit of bite to it and yet be creamy soft. You will need to keep ladling the stock & allowing the rice to absorb the liquid until you reach the right consistency and mouth feel for the rice.
Once you’ve reached the right consistency, season the risotto with salt and pepper, Add the chopped parsley, butter & saffron strands. Stir, taste and adjust seasonings.
Add the lobster to the risotto.
Combine and serve immediately with a smattering of finely chopped parsley and a glass of vino!
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Recipe for
Lobster & Saffron Risotto
Shopping list
2 qty (1- 1/2-pound) fresh lobsters
1 carton chicken stock
1 bottle (1-1/2 cup) clam juice
3 cups water
1 small yellow onion for stock
1 small carrot
4-5 Parsley sprigs
1 large Spanish red onion
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 -1/2 cups Arborio rice (Vialone Nano brand preferred)
1 cup dry white wine (good quality - the same bottle you’ll have with dinner!)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs unsalted butter (preferably European)
½ tsp grade A, Saffron strands (I'm using Saffron from Mt Etna!)
Italian Parsley to yield 1/4 cup finely chopped
Preparation:
Lobsters: Have the fishmonger, halve the lobster lengthwise and cut the tail into 2-3 pieces. Leave the shell on.
Yellow onion & carrot for stock: Peel and roughly dice the onion. Cut the carrot into circles, discarding ends.
Spanish red onion: Peel the onions and discard the ends. Finely chop and set aside.
Rice: Measure and set aside.
Method:
Bring the stock, clam juice & water to boil with the coarsely chopped onion, carrot, and parsley sprigs.
Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath with cold water.
As soon as the stock liquid is at a rolling boil, plunge the lobster into the boiling liquid and cook for exactly 3 minutes – tracking the time with a timer.
Remove with a large metal slotted spoon and submerge the lobster in ice water 1 minute. Drain and set aside. Remove the lobster meat from the claws.
Cook’s Note: I prefer to keep the other lobster pieces in the shell since it makes a nice color contrast with the rice and the meat comes off easily.
Keep the lobster stock, warm on low heat on the stove with a metal ladle.
In a 12 -inch frying pan with 3-inch sides, heat the olive oil until very hot.
Add the finely chopped onion and ¼ tsp salt. Sauté the onion for 5-7 minutes over medium heat until softened and translucent but not brown.
Add the tomato paste & red pepper flakes and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes or so.
Add the rice and, stirring constantly, cook until opaque, about 2 minutes.
Add the white wine & then the lobster stock ladle by ladle, until the rice is covered.
Turn the heat to medium-high and stirring constantly, continue to cook the rice until the stock is absorbed.
Add another 2 ladles of stock and stirring frequently, cook the rice until the liquid is absorbed by the rice. Keep adding the liquid 2 ladles at a time until the rice cooks to al-dente and turns creamy at the same time. This could take as long as 40 minutes or so.
Cook’s Note: The rice should have a bit of bite to it and yet be creamy soft. You will need to keep ladling the stock & allowing the rice to absorb the liquid until you reach the right consistency and mouth feel for the rice.
Once you’ve reached the right consistency, season the risotto with salt and pepper, Add the chopped parsley, butter & saffron strands. Stir, taste and adjust seasonings.
Add the lobster to the risotto.
Combine and serve immediately with a smattering of finely chopped parsley and a glass of vino!
