Lobster Risotto Recipe: (A Classic Italian Dish)

Risotto is a classic Italian dish celebrated and enjoyed all over the globe. Various types of meat and seafood items go along with Risotto to enhance the flavor. Adding lobsters to the Risotto turns it into special Lobster Risotto.

Lobster meat complements the Risotto well and takes the flavor to a whole new level. But Lobster Risotto cannot be made just by adding cooked lobster on top of the Risotto.

To get the proper taste of Lobster Risotto, you will also need to prepare a special lobster stock or broth that will be used to cook the Risotto. This will ensure the distinctive flavor of lobster spread throughout the whole meal which results in the amazing taste of the dish.

Ingredients

Here is the list of ingredients for making Lobster Risotto

• One large lobster
• One large onion
• One large garlic
• Two carrots
• 5-6 sticks of celery
• Thyme
• Bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• Two Shallots
• Parsley
• Arborio rice
• Salt, as needed
• Cooking wine
• Olive oil
• Mascarpone cheese

Lobster Risotto Recipe Cooking Process

The entire cooking process can be divided into three main parts which are preparing the lobster, making the lobster stock, and cooking the Risotto. All of these are described in detail below.

Preparing the Lobster

Fill a large pot with water and put it on high heat. Bring the water to a boil and put the lobster in the boiling water. It will take approximately 8-10 minutes for the lobster to get cooked.

Take out the lobster with a tong and place it in cold water. You can use ice cubes in the water to make it colder than regular tap water. After the lobster has cooled down, break its claws, tail, and head apart. Carefully scoop out the meat from the inside. You can use the dull side of a knife to hit the shells to help you break it.

Take out the veins from the lobster as well. Veins should never be consumed as they contain toxic compounds. Do not discard the shells as they will be needed to make the lobster broth. Keep the water that you use to boil the lobster as it contains flavor as well. Use a strainer or a skimmer to get the gunk out from the water as much as possible.

Making the Lobster Stock

Roughly chop the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery after washing them properly. Heat a large pot with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, bay leaves, and the lobster shells to the pot.

Add the tomato paste when the liquids from the vegetables start to evaporate and incorporate everything by stirring it gently. Adjust the heat accordingly if you feel like the cooking is about to burn but do not reduce the heat too much as we will deglaze the cooking.

Deglaze everything with a cup of cooking wine. Keep stirring until all of the liquids have evaporated. Add the water that you boiled the lobsters in and put everything on low heat. Cook this for two hours stirring occasionally.

Strain the liquid through a strainer and keep the broth collected in jars or pots.

Cooking the Risotto

Finely chop two small shallots and parsley. Heat four tablespoons of olive oil in a pot on medium heat. Add the shallots to the oil and stir them gently. Fry the shallots for just a few minutes until they start to give off a nice fragrance.

Add a cup of Arborio rice to the pan and keep stirring. Add a cup of cooking wine and keep stirring until the wine evaporates.

Add half a cup of the special lobster stock to the pot and keep stirring. Keep adding the stock as you stir the rice. Be patient with the process and only add stock after the rice has absorbed the previous addition of stock. It will take about 20-25 minutes for the rice to get cooked.

Cut the boiled lobsters into bite-sized pieces. Heat a pan on medium heat and add a stick of butter to it. Add the lobster meat to the butter and fry them for 5-6 minutes or until they start to form colors on the outside.

Add the lobsters to the rice at the end of the cooking process and stir everything gently. Stir everything for 2 minutes and turn off the heat.

Serve it on a plate and garnish with chopped parsley and Mascarpone cheese.

Notes

You can store the lobster broth for using it in the future. Make sure to store it in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Kind of Rice Should I Use for Making Risotto?

The best type of rice to make a Risotto is Arborio rice. It can absorb a huge amount of liquid that helps to transfer the flavors from the broth to the rice. You can also use other rice like Carnaroli, Vialone Nano, and Baldo. Carnaroli is the second-best option for making this dish. It makes the risotto very creamy because it has a high starch content.

Can I Use Onions Instead of Shallots for This Recipe?

No, shallots have a unique fragrance to them that you cannot find in any onions. This makes them the perfect base for making the Risotto. However, if you have no other options, you can use onions.

Is Cooking Wine Mandatory for This Recipe?

Yes, cooking wine is mandatory for this recipe but you do not need to worry about getting drunk as all of the alcohol will get evaporated from the pot and will not remain even in small quantities in your cooking.

Can I Use Readymade Broth to Make This Recipe?

Yes, you can use readymade broth to make this recipe but using the lobster broth that you make with lobster shells and fresh vegetables will enhance the flavor by a huge margin. 

Can I Use Any Other Types of Cheese for This Recipe?

Yes, Mascarpone cheese is not mandatory for this dish. You can use other cheese to garnish the dish as well.