Lobster risotto

Once I decided to make lobster risotto with the lobster stock I made in yesterday’s post, I remembered that some time ago I had seen somewhere a recipe from Emeril Lagasse using lobster oil. I Googled “lobster oil” and quickly was taken to his recipe. It was an easy and delicious addition to the risotto.

Lobster Risotto

2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 pound lobster tail
2 cups lobster stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup peeled and diced red onion
1 medium shallot, peeled and minced
1 cup Arborio rice
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup brandy or Cognac
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced parsley
2 tablespoons minced basil
1 small Roma tomato, diced
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
Lobster Oil (recipe follows)

Pour the chicken stock into a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add the lobster tail, cover the pot, and cook over medium-high heat for about 16 minutes (or 1 minute per ounce).  Remove the tail from the pot and set it aside until it is cool enough to handle.  While lobster cools, add the lobster stock to the pot and bring to a simmer, cover and keep over low heat.

Using kitchen shears, cut the shells from the tail and remove the tail meat (reserve the shells for lobster oil, recipe follows). Cut the tail meat into 1-inch dice and set aside.

Place a second saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and shallots and sauté, stirring often, until the onions are softened about 3 minutes. Add the Arborio rice to the pan and cook, stirring often for 4 minutes.

Mix in the tomato paste, stirring to coat. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and brandy, stirring constantly, until the wine is nearly completely reduced, then quickly add 1 cup of the lobster stock mixture to the rice stirring continuously until the rice absorbs the stock, 4 to 5 minutes. Add another cup of the hot stock to the saucepan and cook, stirring continuously until the stock is again absorbed, another 4 to 5 minutes. Continue adding the remaining stock in the same manner until the rice is al dente.

Once the rice is fully cooked, fold in the lobster meat, parsley, basil, and diced tomato.  Stir in half of the Parmesan cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon into 4 bowls, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese, and drizzle about 2 teaspoons of the Lobster Oil over each serving.

Serves 4

Emeril Lagasse’s Lobster Oil

1/4 cup olive
Shell from 1 lobster cooked tail, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon peeled and diced carrots
1 small clove garlic, peeled and left whole
1/2-inch wide strip orange zest
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon fresh minced tarragon
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1/4 cup canola oil

In a 1-quart saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine all of the ingredients except the canola oil and cook the lobster shells until bright red in color, about 10 minutes.  Add the canola oil, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve.  Set aside until ready to use, or store in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 1/2 cup