Frozen lobster tails make this more approachable than the name suggests. The technique is classic risotto: warm stock, gradual additions and a final finish of butter and Parmesan.
Cook · Recipe
Lobster Risotto
Creamy Arborio rice finished with lobster, Parmesan and butter for an indulgent dinner that can still use convenient frozen lobster tails.
At a glance
Recipe summary
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Serves
- Serves 4
- Skill
- Moderate
What you need
Ingredients
Metric US Ingredient
2 × 225 g 2 × 8 oz lobster tails Frozen is fine; thaw fully before cooking.
200 g 7 oz Arborio rice
950 ml 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock Kept hot.
1 small 1 small onion Finely chopped.
2 cloves 2 cloves garlic Minced.
120 ml ½ cup dry white wine
60 g 2 oz Parmesan Finely grated.
30 g 1 oz unsalted butter
15 ml 1 tbsp olive oil
To taste To taste salt and black pepper
Small handful Small handful fresh parsley or chives Chopped, to finish.
How to make it
Method
- Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the 2 lobster tails and cook for about 8 minutes, or until the shells are red and the flesh is firm and opaque.
- Lift out the lobster tails and leave them until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the shells and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Keep the 950 ml stock hot in a separate saucepan over low heat.
- Heat the 15 ml olive oil in a wide saucepan. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft, then add the 2 garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the 200 g Arborio rice and cook for 2 minutes until the grains look slightly translucent at the edges.
- Add the 120 ml white wine and stir until almost completely absorbed.
- Add the hot stock one ladle at a time, stirring regularly and allowing each addition to absorb before adding the next. Continue for 18 to 20 minutes until the rice is creamy but still has a little bite.
- Fold in the lobster meat, 30 g butter and 60 g Parmesan. Heat gently for 1 to 2 minutes, then season to taste.
- Serve immediately with chopped parsley or chives.
Useful notes
Equipment
- Two saucepans
- Wide heavy-based saucepan
- Ladle
- Wooden spoon
- Sharp knife
Substitutions
- Use cooked crab or large prawns instead of lobster, adding them only near the end.
- Replace the wine with extra hot stock plus 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
- Use Grana Padano instead of Parmesan.
Allergen notes
- Contains crustaceans and milk.
- Check stock and cheese labels for additional allergens.
Storage
Risotto is best served straight away. Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate for up to 1 day because they contain seafood and cooked rice. Reheat once until steaming hot throughout, adding a splash of stock or water. Do not reheat more than once.
Tips
- Keep the stock hot so each addition does not cool the rice.
- Stir regularly rather than continuously; enough movement releases starch without breaking the grains.
- Add the lobster near the end so it warms through without becoming tough.