The Most Amazing Creamy Lobster Risotto
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To kick off a Valentine’s Day to remember, you MUST try out this Amazing Creamy Lobster Risotto recipe! Prepared with a rich lobster broth, lots of buttery goodness, and topped with decadent lobster and fresh chives, this risotto recipe brings the Hell’s Kitchen classic to your home!
Have you seen Hell’s Kitchen? It is certainly one of my favourite TV shows, and one of their most popular dishes was the Lobster Risotto! I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wanted to make it myself! If it was on your bucket list too, then Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to check it off as part of your Live to Cook! one-month challenge! While I share in my free motivational guide to explore your potential in the kitchen, Make Cooking Fun!, how recreating your favourite dishes from restaurants can inspire you to get creative, so can recreating your favourite dishes from restaurants on TV! To get started on your cooking journey just in time for Valentine’s Day (after all, homemade gifts are the best!), then be sure to sign up to my free email newsletter! In addition, you’ll get all of my latest recipes sent straight to your inbox!
A risotto can be intimidating to someone who’s knew to them for sure. If you want to follow along and grasp all the concepts presented in this post, then check out the video at the bottom of this post! If you’re not already, it would mean a lot to me if you would please subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit the bell button so you’re notified when all of my videos are live! Let’s get cooking!
What Lobster do I use for Lobster risotto?
If you’re very ambitious, then you could use live lobster and cook the whole thing. However, I’ve never done this before, and I admit I’m too scared to! Perhaps one day I will do it and conquer my fear of this (very) pesky protein, which is one of the themes in my Live to Cook one-month challenge.
Do I have to Use Wine in a Risotto?
Yes, you need to use wine in a risotto as it adds a special flavour profile to the risotto which would be missing if the wine was not added and replaced with broth instead. But it also is not a requirement, its a recommendation. The wine also helps to deglaze the pan in the early stages of a risotto and extract flavours off the pan from the shallots. The wine is also helpful in breaking down the starch on the rice which allows the grains to absorb the broth while cooking the risotto.
Is it necessary To Use Arborio Rice in Risotto?
Arborio is the most commonly used type of rice that’s associated with a risotto but other short grain and starchy rice varieties can also be used to make a delicious risotto. Rice like Carnaroli, Vialone Nano can also be used for a risotto.
According to Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, “a grain of good risotto rice must be able to do are two essentially divergent things. It must partly dissolve to achieve the clinging, creamy texture that characterizes risotto but, at the same time, it must deliver firmness to the bite.”
Tools Required to Make Creamy Lobster Risotto
Ingredients for Creamy Lobster Risotto
You can scroll to the bottom of this post or press the “Jump to Recipe” button for the "FULL PRINTABLE recipe to save the recipe for later and see all ingredient quantities. You can also scale the recipe based on how many mouths you’re looking to feed so that you know much rice and lobster you will need!
For the lobster broth
Lobster: I’m using two lobster tails. You’ll need to cook them first, and then you will use the shells in the broth. You’ll save the cooked lobster for topping the risotto.
Carrots: Finely chop your carrots. I like to use baby carrots since these are easiest to work with - no need to peel!
Onions: Red onions are my favourite, and they give a nice potent flavour.
Celery: Some celery sticks will give some amazing flavour to the broth.
Tomatoes: Freshly chopped tomatoes to add a deep red colour and some sweetness to the broth.
Garlic: A couple of chopped garlic cloves.
Water: Add water with all of the ingredients to create the liquid of the broth.
Bay leaf: 2 bay leaves to add a wonderful aroma to the broth.
For the lobster risotto
Rice: Arborio rice.
Water: Needed to cook the rice.
White wine: I’m using dry white wine, more specifically, Pinot Grigio. While you could use any type of dry white wine, Pino Grigio will be excellent here because it is not as sweet as Chardonnay, for instance, and it is light and versatile. You could use Sauvignon blanc as an alternative.
Olive oil: For cooking.
Butter: You’ll keep adding butter to add flavour and creaminess to the risotto.
Shallots: They are wonderfully sweet with a subtle flavour. While I describe shallots as “less good onions,” in this case shallots are the authentic choice for a good lobster risotto broth.
Broth: If you didn’t have enough lobster broth, you’ll need to add in other broth to finish the risotto. I used vegetable broth as this would be the most neutral.
Pecorino Romano: You MUST use freshly grated cheese for best results!
Cream cheese: A bit of full fat cream cheese to make the risotto even creamier and richer. A tablespoon will go a long way!
Lemon: We’ll be using some freshly grated lemon zest into the risotto.
Chives: Freshly chopped chives for garnish.
How to Make Lobster Risotto
For the Lobster Broth
Heat a large stock pot on medium heat and then add olive oil. Add the celery, onions, carrots, garlic and bay leaf to the pot. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and saute until the veggies start to become tender and become fragrant.
Add the tomatoes and lobster tails. Fill the pot with 8 Cups of water to submerge all the ingredients and bring the water up to a boil. By the time the water comes up to a boil, the lobster should be cooked.
Remove the tails as you continue to simmer the broth and transfer the tails to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.
Slice the tail in half and then remove the meat from the shell. Repeat with the other tails and then cut the meat into large cubes and set aside for later.
Return the shells from the lobster back to the stock pot and continue to simmer for 45-60 minutes.
Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve and then transfer the broth to a sauce pan to be used for the risotto later. Season with salt and pepper.
For the Lobster Risotto
Bring the broth to a very slow, steady simmer on a burner near where you’ll be cooking the risotto.
Put 1 tablespoon of butter and the olive oil in a pan and then turn on the heat to medium high. Once the butter melts, add the shallots. Cook and stir the shallots until it becomes translucent.
Add the rice and stir well until the grains are well coated with the oil. Add 1/3 Cup of dry white wine and stir well until most of the liquid is gone.
Add ½ cup of simmering broth and cook the rice, stirring constantly with a long wooden spoon, wiping the sides and bottom of the pot clean as you stir, until all the liquid is gone. You must never stop stirring and you must be sure to wipe the bottom of the pot completely clean frequently, or the rice will stick to it.
When there is no more liquid in the pot, add another ½ cup, continuing always to stir in the manner described above. Maintain heat at a lively pace.
Begin to taste the rice after 20 minutes of cooking. It is done when it is tender, but firm to the bite. As it approaches that stage, gradually reduce the amount of liquid you add, so that when it is fully cooked, it is slightly moist, but not runny.
When the rice is about 1 or 2 minutes away from being fully cooked, add the lemon zest and cream cheese. Mix well and in case you need to, add 1/2 Cup of more broth to keep the rice moist.
Add all the grated Pecorino Romano and the remaining butter. Stir constantly to melt the cheese and wrap it around the grains. Off heat, taste and correct for salt, stirring after adding salt.
Transfer to a plate quickly and garnish with more pecorino romano and freshly chopped chives.
What to Serve with Lobster Risotto?
Lobster Risotto is typically an appetizer. I consider it a very special appetizer to get you excited for a romantic meal! Here are some great mains that will perfectly accompany your Creamy Lobster Risotto:
Can I make Lobster Risotto in Advance?
Please do not do that! It would not be good! I know other recipes tell you how to store and reheat it, but it just will not be as good. The rice needs to be at a certain texture, but reheating and recooking can ruin the texture.
What you can do to prepare and save yourself time before actually cooking the risotto is to cook the lobster and prepare the lobster broth in advance. I agree that it is tedious to cook the risotto itself and you really need to baby it, so if you’ve got your lobster and broth ready to go, then all that’s left is making the risotto and serving, which will not seem so daunting if this is all you’re left to do!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE The Most Amazing Creamy Lobster Risotto HERE:
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!
The Most Amazing Creamy Lobster Risotto
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups Lobster Broth or vegetable broth if you run of of lobster broth while cooking
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 Cup shallots, chopped very fine
- 2 cups Arborio rice OR other imported Italian risotto rice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp cream cheese
- 2-3 Tbsp chives. finely chopped
- ½ heaping cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large stock pot on medium heat and then add olive oil. Add the celery, onions, carrots, garlic and bay leaf to the pot. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and saute until the veggies start to become tender and become fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes and lobster tails. Fill the pot with 8 Cups of water to submerge all the ingredients and bring the water up to a boil. By the time the water comes up to a boil, the lobster should be cooked.
- Remove the tails as you continue to simmer the broth and transfer the tails to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.
- Slice the tail in half and then remove the meat from the shell. Repeat with the other tails and then cut the meat into large cubes and set aside for later.
- Return the shells from the lobster back to the stock pot and continue to simmer for 45-60 minutes.
- Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve and then transfer the broth to a sauce pan to be used for the risotto later. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the broth to a very slow, steady simmer on a burner near where you’ll be cooking the risotto.
- Put 1 tablespoon of butter and the olive oil in a pan and then turn on the heat to medium high. Once the butter melts, add the shallots. Cook and stir the shallots until it becomes translucent.
- Add the rice and stir well until the grains are well coated with the oil. Add 1/3 Cup of dry white wine and stir well until most of the liquid is gone.
- Add ½ cup of simmering broth and cook the rice, stirring constantly with a long wooden spoon, wiping the sides and bottom of the pot clean as you stir, until all the liquid is gone. You must never stop stirring and you must be sure to wipe the bottom of the pot completely clean frequently, or the rice will stick to it.
- When there is no more liquid in the pot, add another ½ cup, continuing always to stir in the manner described above. Maintain heat at a lively pace.
- Begin to taste the rice after 20 minutes of cooking. It is done when it is tender, but firm to the bite. As it approaches that stage, gradually reduce the amount of liquid you add, so that when it is fully cooked, it is slightly moist, but not runny.
- When the rice is about 1 or 2 minutes away from being fully cooked, add the lemon zest and cream cheese. Mix well and in case you need to, add 1/2 Cup of more broth to keep the rice moist.
- Add all the grated Pecorino Romano and the remaining butter. Stir constantly to melt the cheese and wrap it around the grains. Off heat, taste and correct for salt, stirring after adding salt.
- Transfer to a plate quickly and garnish with more pecorino romano and freshly chopped chives.
Nutrition info is an estimate.
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