Anyway, I’ve seen some pretty great prices on frozen lobster tails in the markets lately, and I think they make this dish really appraochable. Approachable in terms of price, and in terms of ease. The tail is already separated and ready to cook, and so all you do is steam it whole. If you want to grab a whole lobster and cook it and use the rest of it to make a seafood stock, that is amazing. In that case, use the seafood stock in place of the chicken stock for this recipe. If you’re not up for cooking a whole lobster, just buy the tails and proceed with this easy recipe. Whenever I come across such a pretty cut of meat, I try to prepare it in the simplest way possible. In this case, I defrosted the tails, gently poached them, and then drowned them in butter. Then, I made a simple risotto to serve underneath that complimented the butteriness of the lobster with more butter. Yep. Risotto is a great vehicle for butter and bed for any cut of meat. Any leftover lobster meat can be used for my lobster mac and cheese for two. If you’re not up for lobster, try this lemon risotto with shrimp, instead. It has many of the same flavors, and is just as elegant. If pasta is more your thing, you would love my easy 5-ingredient creamy lobster shells pasta recipe.
Ingredients
Lobster Tails. You need two whole tails for this lobster risotto recipe. The tails can be small, so I like to serve one tail with each plate. You can buy frozen or fresh lobster, be be sure to fully defrost before cooking if frozen. You can cook whole lobsters, and then separate the tail from the body after cooking. Olive Oil. Butter. Onion. Half a cup of finely diced white or yellow onion is great here. You can also use shallots instead of onions. I also recommend chive for garnishing, but they are optional. Short-grain Rice. The best rice for risotto is either arborio or carnaroli rice. White Wine. Use a dry (not sweet) white wine that ou like drinking, and serve the rest at the table. I like a Sauvignon Blanc from northern California. Chicken Stock. Just boxed chicken stock or the chicken paste dissolved in water is fine here. You can use seafood stock if you want to drive home the lobster flavors.
How to cook the lobster for the risotto:
First, we’re going to cook the lobster separately before we start making the risotto. The best way to cook the lobster is to bring 6 cups of water to a simmer in a shallow pan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt, and then use tongs to add the lobster tails carefully without splashing yourself with hot water. Lower the heat slightly to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook the lobster tails for 8-9 minutes. Remove the lobster tails from the water, and use a toothpick to poke though the tail meat to check for doneness–it will be slightly firm and not opaque when done. Let cool, and then use very sharp kitchen shears to split each tail in half length-wise. Use a fork to gently remove the meat from the tail. I like to pull it into large pieces for the risotto.
How to make lobster risotto:
Which wine goes with lobster risotto
I love a dry Sauvignon Blanc for light seafood dishes.
What to serve with lobster risotto
A super light salad is great on the side, like my beet root and feta salad. For a summer version, my nectarine salad is refreshing, plus lobster pairs so well with summer stone fruits.
How to store:
Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 2 days.
How to reheat:
To reheat, I recommend warming up extra chicken stock and gently reheating the risotto on the stove over low heat. Add a scoop of the warm chicken broth until everything is steaming hot and creamy again.
Lobster Tails: You need two whole tails for this lobster risotto recipe. You can buy these frozen or fresh, but be sure to defrost before cooking. You can cook whole lobsters, if you like, and then separate the tail from the body after cooking.Onion: Finely diced white or yellow onion is great here. I also recommend chive for garnishing, but they are optional. You can subsitute shallots for onions, if you have them.Short-grain Rice: The best rice for risotto is either arborio or carnaroli rice.White Wine: Use a dry (not sweet) white wine that ou like drinking, and serve the rest at the table. I like a Sauvignon Blanc from northern California.Chicken Stock: Just boxed chicken stock or the chicken paste dissolved in water is fine here. You can use seafood stock if you want to drive home the lobster flavors.
