Buttery Lobster Risotto with Crab Claw and Asparagus + Weekly Menu

I could be a vegetarian if it weren’t for seafood. Crab is my favorite food and I now know how to cook lobster tails. Which, by the way, doesn’t get any more basic. So simple! Now, when I win the lottery, I’ll know how to cook my pricey seafood.

When I won $500 to feed my family and friends, I went all out. I mean, crab and lobster? They’re lucky the cook has such good taste in food!

I subbed in Melt for butter, which helped to keep this luxurious meal under 500 calories. And a meal it was — people struggled to make room for the Peanut Butter Honeycomb Pie. But they reached deep, and licked their plates clean (and please no one notice that a slice of the pie is nearly the calorie equivalent of this entire meal…).

If you’re ever looking to spoil your loved ones (or a person of romantic interest…) with a seafood fine dining meal, may I suggest this risotto? My dad is still talking about how good it was…

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Buttery Lobster Risotto with Crab Claw and Asparagus inspired by Giada De Laurentiis

1 lb (about 2 large) frozen lobster tails, thawed
4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
3 Tbsp butter (I used Melt), at room temperature
1 large leek, halved length-wise and sliced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine (such as Chardonnay)
2 oz hard Parmesan, grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
5 crab claws
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb asparagus

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the lobster tails and boil for 8 to 10 minutes until the shells curl and the lobster meat turns white. Drain, transfer to a cutting board, and cool for 15 minutes. Using kitchen shears, cut through the top shell lengthwise. Remove the meat and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Keep hot over low heat.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Melt the butter and then add the leek and cook, about 3 minutes. Stir in the rice to coat with the butter.

Add the wine and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding the stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of stock to absorb before adding the next. Cook until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite, about 20-25 minutes. Stir in lobster pieces to warm through.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with tin foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange the asparagus on the baking sheet and drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

When the rice is creamy and has absorbed all of the liquid, remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon risotto into each of 5 serving bowls. Arrange a crab claw and asparagus spears on top of the risotto. Yield: 5 servings (about 1 1/3 cup risotto, 1 crab claw, and 4 spears of asparagus).

Nutrition Information (per serving): 470 calories; 11.6 g. fat; 25 mg. cholesterol; 523 mg. sodium; 48 g. carbohydrate; 1.6 g. fiber; 31 g. protein

Result: Simple but rich — the risotto highlights both the lobster and the crab perfectly. I pooled together all of my favorite aspects from risottos I’ve had in the past and I was very pleased with the result! Enjoy!

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Weekly Menu: January 8th – 12th

• Sunday: Ciopponi with crusty bread
• Monday: Creamy Taco Mac
• Tuesday: clinic all day, teaching all night = leftovers!
• Wednesday: Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce over Potato and Celery Root Mash
• Thursday: clinic all day, teaching all night = leftovers!

Off to grocery shop, get some lesson planning done, play hockey, and then make an awesome dinner! 😀 The weekends always go too fast!

Be well,