If you are looking for a dish to wow your holiday dinner guests, then this lobster risotto is it. It’s elegant, festive, and, maybe the best part, easy to make - especially if you have a few risottos under your belt.

I’ve been on somewhat of a lobster kick lately, not because I am swimming in extra cash, but the dreary economic climate has lowered the price of lobster quite a bit (apparently lobster prices usually coincide with the vibe on Wall St.), making lobster a nice indulgence.

I’m also a bit geared up to be back living in New England, so while my friends in the Bay Area are enjoying the beginning of Dungeness crab season, I’m living it up with fresh lobster that is still in season (and might be at it’s best) in November and December. It seems that on either coast the seafood choices are prime right now.

One of my goals this year is to get out to the Maine coast and enjoy a steamed lobster at one of those fish shanty’s. You know, the kind with old buoys tacked to the walls and fish netting hanging from the ceiling. And while a full steamed lobster (bib included) would be perfect in that atmosphere, when I cook lobster at home I prefer to integrate it into dishes, like pastas or salads, generating bursts of lobster flavor throughout the meal and stretching your dollar quite a bit.

I ran across this lobster risotto recipe in A Platter of Figs by David Tanis, the longtime chef of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, CA. After one quick glance through A Platter of Figs, I knew it would immediately become a classic in my library. In many ways it mimics the style of Suzanne Goin’s (another Chez Panisse alum) Sunday Supper at Lucques, which I adore and wrote about here, here, and here.

Before we get on to the recipe I’d like to share a couple of quotes from Tanis’s introduction. First of all, let me say that in my opinion a good introduction is what separates a classic cookbook from the so-so. If the introduction is heartfelt, if it shares something, and if there is emotion, the cookbook is going to be one that you turn back to time and time again. On the other hand, if the introduction is superficial, brief, or you can’t picture the writer, it was probably written by someone who was pressed by a publisher to put something out (sorry Food Network!). Tanis’s introduction is certainly the former and here is why:

On What Makes A Meal: “A meal needn’t be fancy, nor should it take all day to make. But, that said, most of the menus in this book are not those 30-minute-specials-with-only-3-ingredients whose intent seems to keep you out of the kitchen. What’s wrong with spending a little time in the kitchen? I like peeling carrots, I like washing the lettuces. I like building a meal. I believe there’s joy and amusement inherent in the cooking process, in putting the food into companionable serving vessels, in gather in the kitchen and the table, and in all the many little and big aesthetic decisions along the way.”

On Menus: “Start with a few slices of raw fennel and a plate of olives. Then bring me a beautiful bowl of steaming pasta with garlic and oil. For dessert, a just-ripe pear and some aged Parmigiano. There. A simple menu. Early autumn.”

On Pretty versus Beautiful: “Generally I don’t like pretty food, but I am in awe of beautiful food, Here’s what I mean: I think food should look natural, not contrived. Plums in a bowl are nothing more than a repetition of shapes: what could be more beautiful? Tender green beans - briefly cooked, dressed with oil, and gently piled on a platter - are beautiful in a way that stacked, squeezed, decorated, gussied-up creations will never be.”

So with those thoughts in mind, let’s move on to the lobster risotto. It may sound fancy but it’s simple food (rice, broth, lobster) prepared with a bit of care (feelgood eats post on risotto technique). If you are serving this for a dinner party, the key is to time it right since it is best to serve the risotto immediately. I haven’t found this to be too difficult as I am generally in the kitchen before a party anyway, but keep the time in mind and plan ahead.

Lobster Risotto
(serves 8-10 as a small course)

• 5 live 1-pound lobsters
• 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)
• 2 large onions, finely diced
• sea salt & fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 8 cups (2 quarts) lobster broth
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
• 2 tablespoons freshly cut chives
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• aioli or mayonnaise for garnish

In a large stock pot bring 2 gallons of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the lobsters and boil for 10 minutes or until they turn bright red. Remove the lobsters and when cool enough to handle, remove the meat and coarsely chop. Reserve 2 quarts of the boiling liquid and discard the remaining. Add the lobster shells to the reserved water and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Strain the broth and then return to the pot over medium-low heat to be used in the risotto. You may have some broth left over which you can boil down into a lobster reduction and freeze for another use.

Heat the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a generous pinch of sea salt and saute until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the olive oil, rice, garlic, and a bit more salt. Stir the rice until is is sizzling and well-coated with the oil. Add the wine and keep stirring until it is reduced. (From this point it will take 20-30 minutes, or a bit longer if your rice is older. I like to plan for 40 minutes in a dinner party scenario, and the risotto can sit for 5-10 minutes without any worries).

Adjust the heat to keep the broth at a brisk simmer; you should see little bubbles but nothing near a boil. Add 1 cup of the lobster broth (just enough to barely cover the rice) and stir frequently until the broth has almost been completely absorbed. Repeat the process of adding broth, stirring, and allowing the rice to absorb the liquid until the rice becomes a bit soupy and is a little al dente.

Before serving, stir in the chopped lobster meat (I like to reserve a bit for garnish) and season the risotto with sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Garnish with the reserved lobster meat, herbs, lemon zest, and a dab of aioli. Serve as soon as you can!

More Lobster Recipes:

Need help cooking live lobster? Check out La Tartine Gourmande

Bitten: A Solid Winter Treat: Lobster

Saveur: Linguine with Lobster Sauce

Steamy Kitchen: Lobster Mac’n Cheese

Serious Eats: Classic Maine Lobster Rolls

Tagged as: main course, risotto, seafood

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