01-06-13-lobster-risotto

 

All day yesterday I was talking about making Lobster Mac & Cheese for dinner tonight. I woke up this morning thinking I was going to make Lobster Mac & Cheese tonight. I made Lobster and Artichoke Risotto, instead.

This is a classic example of why I can’t plan a weeks worth of menus. What sounds good one day doesn’t necessarily sound good another. Heck, in this case, it sounded good up until the moment I went into the kitchen. Victor asked what I had planned for the lobster and Lobster Risotto came out of my mouth. I had seen a recipe for Lobster and Artichoke Risotto in La Cucina Italiana magazine and somehow it manifested itself at that moment.

Go figure.

I do have to admit it was a pretty good choice. I read through the magazine recipe and decided I liked my risotto recipe better. For instance, as much as I like butter, I couldn’t see myself stirring a cube of it into the finished product. But the concept was sound. I went to work.

Lobster and Artichoke Risotto

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups Arborio rice
  • 1 cup white  wine
  • 5 cups broth
  • 1/2 lb lobster meat
  • 1/2 lb langostino
  • 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
  • 1 cup shredded grana padano or parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oil and butter in risotto pan. Roughly chop lobster and add to pan, cooking quickly. Remove when just barely done and set aside. Add langiostino and also cook until barely done.  Remove and set aside.

Saute onion and garlic in same pan until translucent. Add rice and saute about 2 minutes or until translucent.

Add wine and cook until it is nearly gone. Begin adding broth 1 ladle at a time, stirring until it is almost completely absorbed. Continue adding broth and stirring until most of the broth has been added and rice is almost tender.

Stir in artichoke hearts and heat through.

Stir in lobster and langostino and heat through.

Add grated cheese and stir to completely mix.

Taste for seasoning and add S&P as desired.

If I had thought of it I probably would have added a bit of freshly-chopped parsley at the last moment.

Next time.

It really did hit the spot. It was rich and creamy, had a good contrast of textures and flavors, and took less than 30 minutes start-to-finish to get on the table.

Now I’m going to have to go back and think about lobster mac and cheese, again…

Maybe next week.