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Lobster in Orzo “Risotto”
By Charlie Burke
Click here for printer friendly version of recipe
Live lobster, properly boiled or steamed, is close to a perfect meal and is
eaten locally unadorned or with only melted butter and, perhaps, a
squeeze of lemon. Less is certainly more, while preparations with heavy
sauces serve only to obscure the sweet flavor of the lobster. Shelling the
lobster at the table is best done outside on a picnic table or at informal
meals inside when a few pieces of flying shell and errant juices can be
taken in stride. When taken out of the shell before a more formal dinner
the lobster meat can cool rapidly, so it’s best if it is slightly under cooked
and reheated immediately before serving, as is done in our lobster in
tomato tarragon sauce and in this recipe.
I cooked our first lobster of the season last week and decided to serve it
out of the shell and reheated in a lightly flavored orzo “risotto”. The term
risotto refers to the cooking of Italian short grain starchy rice, such as
Arborio, in a traditional recipe. Onion is sautéed in olive oil or butter and
the rice is added and stirred until coated with the fat. Wine is added and
reduced, and then the rice is cooked while stock is gradually added until
the rice reaches its proper consistency.
Risotto is nearly as common as pasta in areas of northern Italy, and lately
the same technique has been used with grains or pasta. Using flavored
stock or broth, which is added only as the previous volume is absorbed,
concentrates flavor in the rice, grain or pasta, and the preservation of
starch results in a rich, creamy consistency.
Orzo, rice-like pasta, lends itself well to the risotto technique which in
this recipe permits the addition of subtle flavors compatible with lobster.
The anis flavor of chervil, tarragon and fennel matches nicely with the
lobster, and any of these in small amounts will provide a nice
background flavor. The richness of the lobster and the pasta needs some
acidity, here provided by the white wine and tomato paste in the
“risotto”. The use of a small amount of Pernod (anise flavored liqueur
from France) complements the flavor of fennel seed in the orzo.
Two servings:
2 1 ¼ –1 ½ pound live New England lobsters
Sea or kosher salt.
To boil, fill a large pot 2/3-3/4 full with water, adding at least 1
tablespoon of salt for each quart of water. Bring to a rolling boil and cook
for 6-7 minutes for 1 ¼ pound or 8-9 minutes for 1 ½ pound lobster (if
eating out of the shell, the cooking times would be 7-8 minutes and 9-
10minutes, respectively). To steam the lobsters, place 2-3 inches of salted
water in a pot, place rack in the pot and bring water to a boil. Cook 1 ¼
pound lobster for 8-9 minutes; 1 ½ pound size takes 9-10 minutes. Again,
add 1 – 2 minutes for lobster to be eaten out of the shell. Cooking times
start when the water returns to a boil or the steaming pot is full of steam.
When lobsters have cooled, remove meat from the shell. Leave claws
whole and peel top of tail, removing the intestinal vein. Leave tail whole.
Cover meat and set aside. (Shells make an excellent stock: cover with
water, add onion, celery, carrot, pepper corns and a bay leaf and boil for
one hour. When boiled, strain and use stock as a base for fish soups or
sauces. It can be frozen for a couple of months.)
Orzo “Risotto:
1 cup orzo or whole wheat orzo
½ medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 quart warm mild chicken, fish or lobster stock (you will use
approximately 2 ½-3 cups)
¼ cup Pernod or other anise flavored liqueur (optional)
½ cup dry white wine
Scant 1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons fennel seeds
1 pinch saffron soaked in ¼ cup warm water (optional)
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat a wide heavy bottomed pot or sauté pan over medium heat. When
hot, add olive oil and tilt to cover the bottom. Add onions and sauté,
stirring until opaque; do not brown. Add orzo and cook for 2 minutes,
stirring until all are nicely coated with the olive oil. Add Pernod, if using,
and boil until nearly evaporated. Add wine, turn heat to medium high
and cook, stirring until wine is absorbed and boiled off. Add 1 cup of
stock, along with fennel seeds and tomato paste, and cook, stirring until
stock is absorbed. Add more stock, 3/4 cup at a time as each is absorbed,
until orzo is “al dente”, meaning it is cooked but still has a small amount
or resistance. Cooking time will be 8-10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to
taste
Place lobster meat into orzo and place pan over low heat. Cook only until
lobster is re warmed.
To serve, remove claws and tail of each lobster and place on a warmed
plate. Mix in the remainder of meat with the orzo and place onto plates
separate from the larger pieces. I served this with the first of our
asparagus which was simply tossed with olive oil and a tablespoon of
lemon juice and seared over high heat in a covered sauté pan until just
crunchy tender. The lemon juice caramelized slightly to add flavor the
asparagus.
For casual meals, “lobster in the rough”, served hot and shelled at the
table, with steamed clams, corn on the cob and potato salad will always
be the quintessential New England lobster experience, but for more
formal entertaining, guests appreciate not having to deal with the
shelling. This preparation adds a little richness and a slight pleasant taste
of anise, while respecting the sweet salty taste of the sea in the fresh,
tender lobster. The risotto preparation is quick and easy, taking little
time. The lobster can be prepared a day ahead and brought to room
temperature an hour of so before dinner, making this ideal for
entertaining.
About the author:
An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice
president of the New Hampshire Farmer'sMarket Association, president
of the NH Farm to Restaurant Connection and helps run the Sanbornton
(NH) Farmers' Market. Along with his wife, Joanne, Charlie grows
certified organic herbs, greens and berries at Weather Hill Farm in
Sanbornton, NH.
By Charlie Burke
Click here for printer friendly version of recipe
Live lobster, properly boiled or steamed, is close to a perfect meal and is
eaten locally unadorned or with only melted butter and, perhaps, a
squeeze of lemon. Less is certainly more, while preparations with heavy
sauces serve only to obscure the sweet flavor of the lobster. Shelling the
lobster at the table is best done outside on a picnic table or at informal
meals inside when a few pieces of flying shell and errant juices can be
taken in stride. When taken out of the shell before a more formal dinner
the lobster meat can cool rapidly, so it’s best if it is slightly under cooked
and reheated immediately before serving, as is done in our lobster in
tomato tarragon sauce and in this recipe.
I cooked our first lobster of the season last week and decided to serve it
out of the shell and reheated in a lightly flavored orzo “risotto”. The term
risotto refers to the cooking of Italian short grain starchy rice, such as
Arborio, in a traditional recipe. Onion is sautéed in olive oil or butter and
the rice is added and stirred until coated with the fat. Wine is added and
reduced, and then the rice is cooked while stock is gradually added until
the rice reaches its proper consistency.
Risotto is nearly as common as pasta in areas of northern Italy, and lately
the same technique has been used with grains or pasta. Using flavored
stock or broth, which is added only as the previous volume is absorbed,
concentrates flavor in the rice, grain or pasta, and the preservation of
starch results in a rich, creamy consistency.
Orzo, rice-like pasta, lends itself well to the risotto technique which in
this recipe permits the addition of subtle flavors compatible with lobster.
The anis flavor of chervil, tarragon and fennel matches nicely with the
lobster, and any of these in small amounts will provide a nice
background flavor. The richness of the lobster and the pasta needs some
acidity, here provided by the white wine and tomato paste in the
“risotto”. The use of a small amount of Pernod (anise flavored liqueur
from France) complements the flavor of fennel seed in the orzo.
Two servings:
2 1 ¼ –1 ½ pound live New England lobsters
Sea or kosher salt.
To boil, fill a large pot 2/3-3/4 full with water, adding at least 1
tablespoon of salt for each quart of water. Bring to a rolling boil and cook
for 6-7 minutes for 1 ¼ pound or 8-9 minutes for 1 ½ pound lobster (if
eating out of the shell, the cooking times would be 7-8 minutes and 9-
10minutes, respectively). To steam the lobsters, place 2-3 inches of salted
water in a pot, place rack in the pot and bring water to a boil. Cook 1 ¼
pound lobster for 8-9 minutes; 1 ½ pound size takes 9-10 minutes. Again,
add 1 – 2 minutes for lobster to be eaten out of the shell. Cooking times
start when the water returns to a boil or the steaming pot is full of steam.
When lobsters have cooled, remove meat from the shell. Leave claws
whole and peel top of tail, removing the intestinal vein. Leave tail whole.
Cover meat and set aside. (Shells make an excellent stock: cover with
water, add onion, celery, carrot, pepper corns and a bay leaf and boil for
one hour. When boiled, strain and use stock as a base for fish soups or
sauces. It can be frozen for a couple of months.)
Orzo “Risotto:
1 cup orzo or whole wheat orzo
½ medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 quart warm mild chicken, fish or lobster stock (you will use
approximately 2 ½-3 cups)
¼ cup Pernod or other anise flavored liqueur (optional)
½ cup dry white wine
Scant 1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons fennel seeds
1 pinch saffron soaked in ¼ cup warm water (optional)
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat a wide heavy bottomed pot or sauté pan over medium heat. When
hot, add olive oil and tilt to cover the bottom. Add onions and sauté,
stirring until opaque; do not brown. Add orzo and cook for 2 minutes,
stirring until all are nicely coated with the olive oil. Add Pernod, if using,
and boil until nearly evaporated. Add wine, turn heat to medium high
and cook, stirring until wine is absorbed and boiled off. Add 1 cup of
stock, along with fennel seeds and tomato paste, and cook, stirring until
stock is absorbed. Add more stock, 3/4 cup at a time as each is absorbed,
until orzo is “al dente”, meaning it is cooked but still has a small amount
or resistance. Cooking time will be 8-10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to
taste
Place lobster meat into orzo and place pan over low heat. Cook only until
lobster is re warmed.
To serve, remove claws and tail of each lobster and place on a warmed
plate. Mix in the remainder of meat with the orzo and place onto plates
separate from the larger pieces. I served this with the first of our
asparagus which was simply tossed with olive oil and a tablespoon of
lemon juice and seared over high heat in a covered sauté pan until just
crunchy tender. The lemon juice caramelized slightly to add flavor the
asparagus.
For casual meals, “lobster in the rough”, served hot and shelled at the
table, with steamed clams, corn on the cob and potato salad will always
be the quintessential New England lobster experience, but for more
formal entertaining, guests appreciate not having to deal with the
shelling. This preparation adds a little richness and a slight pleasant taste
of anise, while respecting the sweet salty taste of the sea in the fresh,
tender lobster. The risotto preparation is quick and easy, taking little
time. The lobster can be prepared a day ahead and brought to room
temperature an hour of so before dinner, making this ideal for
entertaining.
About the author:
An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice
president of the New Hampshire Farmer'sMarket Association, president
of the NH Farm to Restaurant Connection and helps run the Sanbornton
(NH) Farmers' Market. Along with his wife, Joanne, Charlie grows
certified organic herbs, greens and berries at Weather Hill Farm in
Sanbornton, NH.
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