Lobster Risotto

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Lobster in lockdown was a wonderful way to escape from this crazy and mundane world we all inhabit. We all need to find our own coping strategies and ours is normally excellent food and wine during the week, with exceptional food and wine at the weekends! Unashamed luxury on the dining table, followed by binge watching our current favourite series with Mr Daffodil (and the pets) – I’ve had worse weekends!

This crustacean creation is surprisingly easy to make and is based on my Risotto – Core Recipe. It is made in exactly the same way although I spend a little longer ensuring that each and every component is the best it can possibly be. As well as the Core Recipe ingredients, I have simply added:

• an incredibly enhanced and delicious stock
• cooked lobster
• fennel

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Shellfish Stock

To be honest, this risotto is really all about the stock. Of course the sweet, light yet meaty lobster adds the kapow but it’s the stock that adds the incredible depth and layers of flavour that sets this sumptuous dish apart. Get the stock right and your risotto will be dreamy. Please, please no stock cubes. I buy shellfish or fish stock, which I then enhance by cooking it again with lobster shells (amazing extra flavour and the smell as you cook them will blow your mind!), vegetables and gentle spices. If you cannot get the stock just use water and follow the instructions – it will still taste incredible.

The lobsters

For this I buy two lobsters from my fabulous fishmonger, John, who comes down from Grimsby to London every week. The lobsters are cooked and John takes them out of the shells for me. I have cooked live lobster before but I really, really dislike doing it. In fact, I have made Andrew kill them for me immediately before I put them in the boiling water. I swear it made no difference to the taste or texture of the meat and felt a lot less cruel. For me, buying them already cooked is definitely the way to go!

Cook on the hob and in the oven

Typically a risotto is made on the stove. After sautéing the onion and garlic, and adding the rice and wine, the hot stock is added, ladleful at a time whilst stirring continuously. The stirring is very important as this helps to release the starch on the rice and this in turn will give you a much creamier risotto. Safe to say this is an important part of the process.

However, standing by the stove for 20 minutes continuously stirring anything is not my idea of fun or a good use of time – even for a lobster! As a nod to this part of the process, however, and in recognition of the magnificence of the lobster, I stir this one a little more than I would normally on a weeknight! I:

• stir continuously and enthusiastically after adding the rice and wine and also after adding the stock and bringing to a simmer.
• cook for 15 minutes in the oven.
• I then cook it on the hob for 5 minutes, stirring it continuously and enthusiastically to bring out all the natural creaminess.
• I then add the lobster and just pop it back in the oven to heat the lobster through at the end.
• The 15 minutes it is in the oven gives me time to do any clearing up, lay the table and make any sides.

Having said that, I do not go all out on sides at all. The lobster is the star of the show and I want to keep it that way. Yesterday I just had some plain rocket on the side, no dressing, just plain. I didn’t want to distract my tastebuds from this flavourful heaven! If you don’t fancy rocket, I would recommend some steamed asparagus or tender stem broccoli. Whatever you chose, keep it simple.

How to make Lobster Risotto

Collect all your ingredients together:

• Ingredients to make a totally amazing Shellfish Stock:
  • olive oil
  • cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
  • chopped fennel
  • chopped onion
  • chopped carrot
  • chopped celery
  • fennel seeds
  • chilli flakes
  • lobster shells
  • chopped tomatoes
  • saffron
  • good quality shellfish stock (or fish stock)
  • salt
  • freshly ground white pepper
• Basic Risotto ingredients:
  • unsalted butter
  • olive oil
  • banana shallots or onion
  • garlic
  • Arborio rice 
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • salt
  • dry white wine
  • good quality shellfish stock 
  • 1 bay leaf
  • more butter
  • fresh cream
  • cooked lobster meat
  • parmesan cheese????
• Additional ingredients:
  • fennel
  • fresh cooked lobster
  • chopped parsley
  • lemon wedges

Make the Shellfish Stock:

The key to this dish is making an incredible stock. I use Waitrose Shellfish Stock as a base and then zhoosh it up to add many extra layers of amazing yet harmonising flavours.

1. Heat the olive oil over a moderate heat.
2. Add the garlic, fennel, onion, carrot, celery, fennel seeds and chilli and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables are soft and lightly caramelised.
3. Add the lobster shells and cook for a further 3 – 4 minutes, stirring from time to time. The smell as you add these, will be staggeringly good!
4. Now add the tomatoes, saffron, salt and pepper.
5. Pour in the shellfish stock and stir well.
6. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook on low for 30 minutes, with the lid on.
7. Remove the shells from the stock.
8. Strain the stock through a fine or conical sieve.
9. Press gently on the vegetables to extract all the amazing flavours and stock.
10. Measure the stock and check you have 1 litre. If you have less, top up with water.

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You are now ready to make the Lobster Risotto:

1. Pulse the onion/shallots and fennel in a food processor until finely chopped. Alternatively finely chop by hand.
2. Melt the butter and olive oil over a medium high heat.
3. Cook the shallots/onions and fennel until translucent and very slightly caramelised – around 5 minutes.
4. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a further minute.
5. Next, add the rice and seasoning. Stir well, ensuring all the rice grains are covered in the butter and oil.
6. Pour in the wine and continue to cook to reduce the wine. Stir continuously as it reduces until it has almost disappeared.
7. Pour in all bar 100ml of the stock.
8. Bring to a simmer stirring continuously and enthusiastically.
9. As soon as it comes to the boil, add the bayleaf, cover and pop into a preheated oven for 15 minutes.
10. After 15 minutes take it out of the oven and stir well.
11. Cook stirring continuously and enthusiastically for 5 minutes until the rice is nearly cooked, stock much reduced and the risotto is creamy.
12. Remove the bay leaf
13. Add the remaining stock, (If you prefer a thicker risotto you may not need this extra stock.) butter and cream and bring to a gentle simmer. The risotto should be slightly wetter than the finished texture you are seeking.
14. When the risotto is thoroughly mixed and gently simmering, lay the cooked lobster on top of the risotto. Cover and put back in the oven for 5 minutes to heat everything through.

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Serve your Lobster Risotto:

The jury is definitely out on whether or not to serve parmesan with your Lobster Risotto. Some people categorically do and others the opposite. We tend not to. Andrew is allergic to cheese anyway, so definitely not for him in anything but I would most certainly add parmesan to most risotto I make. However, this risotto is so bursting with flavour, I really don’t think it needs any parmesan. If I was to incorporate any, I would add just a little, say 25g, for its unami effect, salty tang and added creaminess. Alternatively, serve some on the side. Totally up to you! No judgment here!!

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New lights in the kitchen!

Last week Andrew bought me some new lights. The nights are really drawing in (in fact the clocks change next weekend!) and we were eating earlier and earlier so I could still photograph the food. We had been in the habit of eating too late so a bit earlier is good – 5pm however, is just way too early. Hey presto, problem solved! Dinner at normal time (Andrew happy) and I can still photograph (I’m happy!) Even the pets were content – just look at them sleeping cheek to cheek!

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Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.