Seafood Risotto

Me thinks I am on a risotto kick. Here's a delicious recipe utilizing some left over lobster and fresh shrimp. The risotto is so creamy; the stock along with the wine and shallots takes this dish up to maximum flavor and your taste buds will burst with joy.

Often in my blog I have told you to make stock from shrimp and lobster shells. The last time we had lobsters I strained and saved the water the lobster was cooked in, sealed in a freezer bag. I also had a 16 ounce container of shrimp stock in the freezer as well. This gave me a great head start on a delicious stock.

The other thing was I had left over lobster - 2 tails and one claw. I also secured about twelve 16-20 ct shrimp which I defrosted in cold water, peeled and deveined. The shrimp got cut into 3 pieces each. I coated them with granulated garlic, mixed well and in a saute pan with 1 tbsp. butter and one tbsp. olive oil sauteed them until they were 3/4 of the way cooked.
If you are starting from scratch you will need to cook one lobster, and remove the meat and cut into nice size pieces.

For the stock:

• lobster water
• shrimp stock
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper corns
• 1 medium carrot - rough chop
• 1 stalk celery - rough chop
• new shrimp shells

1. After peeling the raw shrimp I was able to incorporate that (shells) into a large sauce pot along with all of the above ingredients.
2. I let it come to a good bubble and simmered the stock for 1 1/2 hours without a lid so the flavors would concentrate.
3. I kept the stock on a low simmer while I did the prep work for the risotto.

The risotto:

• 1 large shallot finely minced
• 1/2 cup white wine (I used chardonnay)
• 1 cup risotto
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. olive oil (you don't need extra-virgin unless you prefer it)

1. In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil. Add the minced shallots to the pan. Stir and cook for a minute or two.
2. Add in the wine and bubble until the wine is reduced so you end up with about 1/3 of the wine you started with.
3. Add the second tablespoon of butter to the pan and melt.  Then add in the risotto and one ladle full of stock.
4. Keep reducing the liquid, adding more, reducing, adding until the risotto is almost completely cooked. Because you have to cook the shrimp for a couple of minutes more, take that into account so your risotto does not turn to mush.
5. Taste for any additional salt and add if needed.

At this point:

• shrimp - pre cooked 3/4 of the way
• lobster
• 2 tbsp. heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. fresh parsley - finely chopped 

1. To the risotto add in the shrimp and lobster and just a little more stock - about 1/4 cup or so.
2. Stir and cook so the shrimp finish cooking and add in the heavy cream, the fresh parsley and mix well.

Serves 3-4 people as a main dish with a side vegetable. The recipe for the zucchini will be my next posting.