Leftover Lobster Risotto

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love lobster.  Offer it to me at boat price and I'm gonna eat three 2.5-pounders in one sitting.  I've once eaten a 4-pounder and a 1-pounder in one night.  I have also been seen to consume six 1.5-pounders over the course of a long afternoon.  I didn't grow up in New England.  I had never really had lobster until I was 12.  So of course, I'm not tired of it.  And how CAN you tire of it?  It's just SO naturally good.  The only seafood better than lobster just might be scallops.  It's a close call.  So, when I buy lobster, I buy it in mass quantities.  The last time I purchased lobster was to host a lobster meal for an out of town work guest, who was visiting from Boulder, CO for the week.  I served up lobster, fried potato slices, corn, an of course a pile of steamers.  I over buy.  You never know when said guest could want more than just one... and we know I do.  But alas, he did not, and neither did my boss who joined us for the evening.. so I had 2 lobster leftover and I had already had my 2, plus 1/2 of Kassidy's.  So, I shelled them and stuffed them into a freezer bag.  And I shelled them right down to nothing.  Not like my grand-mother-in-law (aka. Grammy) does... but I got pretty close!  Did you know there is meat in the antennae?  How about in the very bottom of the tail fins?  Yep, it's everywhere.  Think about that next time you order lobster.  It's not all about just the claw and tails. Go for the knuckles, legs and dig in.


So, I had this bag of lobster that's been calling my name from the freezer for quite some time.  And today I was home early since Karsyn had a fever.  This left me the ability to get on the internet and search for a variety of recipes for Lobster Risotto.  However, as usual, not finding a single recipe I liked in its entirety, I pulled down my reliable Joy of Cooking.  I can ALWAYS find a recipe in here, or at least something to get me started.  So, what do I come across?  A basic risotto recipe.  One I have used before.  (future blog on Italian Sausage Risotto, a recipe modified from sister-in-law)  Risotto is risky.  Not to make, since it's really a very easy recipe. But risky business when feeding the family.  You all read Busted Applesauce Pork, right?  This could go either way....

Well, the kids were asleep and I was done with work... so, really what's the risk, they get to make their own dinner or starve.  So, off I played.

Ingredients

• 2 lobsters, cooked and shelled (come on, get in there and get it ALL or you won't have enough if you use just claw and tail) - rough chop, nice big chunks
• 2c Aborio Rice
• 2T dried chives
• 3T olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, mashed and diced
• 1/4 cup white wine OR marsala wine OR sweet vermouth
• 8 cups stock
• Since my lobster was frozen, I poured 4 cups of water over it and boiled it to defrost, using that water as 1/2 my stock.  The rest of 4 cups was chicken stock.
• Peas (optional, feeding a family it's nice to have a veggie and make this a 1 pot meal)

Ok, Assemble!

1. 3T of oil into a nice solid pan (do not use non-stick) 
2. 2T chives into pan
3. garlic clove into pan
4. Saute on low-med heat until happy (which really means until you can start to smell them and the aromas in your kitchen are going crazy)
5. Don't let them sit, keep stirring
6. Add the rice to this and KEEP STIRRING, you're now sauteing the rice until it "pops" into a white color
7. Add the wine/marsala/vermouth to the pan slowly and keep stirring.  The rice will instantly absorb it.
8. Add 1 cup of stock and allow to light simmer, but never boil
9. Keep stirring.  Water will start to absorb into the rice.  When it's just about gone, add another 1 cup of stock.
10. Repeat step 9 until you have 1cup of stock left.
• This is the time consuming part.  Not hard...just boring.  1 cup, sit, stir, wait for absorb, repeat.... should take about 30-40 minutes if you do it right.
11. Toss in your lobster meat (and optional peas)
12. Keep stirring, turn heat to low.
13. Cook until all water is absorbed, which really shouldn't be much longer than 5-10 minutes.
14. Plate and Eat.

You're going to get enough here to feed 6 adults nice heavy portions.  I had enough for Me, Rob, the girls, and 2 bowls of leftovers for lunch this week.  I hope it reheats well.  I'll post back the results.

 

Safe to say... tonight, was a hit!  I already knew that Kassidy liked lobster, but this was a new medium in which to eat it.  Karsyn just digs right into anything.  But Kass took a little bit of coaxing.  Once we got her going though she ate just about her whole plate.  Even Rob didn't "hate it."







Change it Up!?

• Instead of lobster, at one point I thought this might go really well with sauteed mushrooms and shredded chicken.  A nice substitute to the lobster and peas.
• Also, I did find the recipe tonight a tad bland.  You may want to add salt, some cracked pepper.  Many recipes out there call for saffron, a VERY expensive and yummy addition and not something I stock.

Chew on This - 5 Minutes of Fame

Anyone who knows me, knows that I would give up my current daily job in a heartbeat to stand around and cook all day.  I aspire to run my own restaurant, crazy as it may seem.  I have a head filled of hopes and dreams that some day I could quit this computer life and just cook.  Now, this dream tends to change from season to season and the restaurant concept comes and goes like a butterfly on a sunny day hoping from flower to flower.  If you asked me today, I would tell you I want a high end place with a top chef.  If you asked me tomorrow, I'd tell you I want to be the best greasy spoon in town and serve just breakfast with blue plate specials.  Other days, it's a coffee shop with fine pastries, and of course beautifully decorated cakes.  But what it comes down to is that as soon as I win the lottery I'm outta this technology joint and into some cooking as fast as my feet will take me.  Knowing my odds at the lottery, this could take a while, so in the meantime, I cook what I can for my family and get hazy eyed with dreams.

That being said, I watch a lot of the Food Network, Travel Channel, History Channel and just about any other channel where you can find something about food.  Yes, it consumes my Tivo.  Guilty.

Here's where I tell you that you will not be getting a recipe from me in today's entry.  Nope.  Today, you're getting a story that I will be able to regale for the rest of my life.  A "once in a lifetime" opportunity, that had I passed it up (and I almost did) would have been stupid.

It started last week.  On Facebook.  A friend posts that a friend of hers, working at ABC Daytime as a Post Production Assistant, is looking "...specifically for a mother who likes to cook for her family and is available to skype for a segment airing live" on a show called "THE CHEW."  This is a daytime talk show, consisting of 5 hosts; Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, Mario Batali, Michael Symon and Daphne Oz.  Yeah, 5 very popular, very famous people.  Wait back up the food truck... Mario Batali and Michael Symon!!???  Oh yes.  Very cool.  So, that's nice.  I read the post and think not much of it.  A quick "heh yeah, that'd be cool" and I move on with my morning.  Well, then I get an e-mail from my sister in law with exclamation points telling me I should get on Facebook and look at this girls post and it's something I should do!  Ok, now my brain goes into overdrive and reads the post again.  I head back to the website and check out what this show is really all about.  I vaguely remember seeing the commercials for it when it originally started to air last year.  I was going to Tivo this, that's right.  Huh... OK, I'll check it out.  Seconds go by and the Post Production Assistant (PPA) actually replies and says this would be a live recorded webcast where you Skype and talk directly with the hosts.  Wha-aaat?  A chance to talk with Mario Batali and Michael Symon??  Me?  Oh, GOD YES, I'm in.

So, I send Facebook friend a message that I'm interested and here my e-mail address and cell phone number.  And I move on with my morning.

NOT AN HOUR LATER, my cell phone rings and it's the PPA, who wants to know more about me.  Do I cook often?  What do I cook?  What are my favorite things to cook?  What do my kids enjoy best?  What does my husband enjoy most that I cook?  How long have I lived in New England?  Do I have a web camera?  A web camera, yes.... oh shoot... wait... no... the laptop camera is broken, but I can do this from home if I had to.  I'll call her back in an hour.

Big time scramble now to get the laptop camera working.  The taping time of this is during my lunch hour on Monday.  "Today" is Friday.  Got it working and called back the PPA and I'm in!  Wahoo!  Cloud Nine, floating high.  Going to get a chance to talk with Mario Batali, Michael Symon, Clinton Kelly.... Oh so cool.

Monday morning approaches and I have all my ducks in a row.  I have a conference room booked, my camera still works, the internet is stable, there's an 11:30 test call scheduled.  100% cannot concentrate on anything work related.  Oh what fun.  11:30 rolls around and the test call goes pretty well.  The video feed from their end of my picture isn't great, we're not sure why, but it's well enough.  And oh yeah, can I find someone else to sit with me?  What?  Really?  You did hear that I said I work in the computer industry, which is 90% men, right?  So I scramble to find someone, anyone that might have an interest in food and could drop their lunch hour to sit with me and webcast with these famous chefs.  At 12:15, I finally hooked someone and we're scheduled for our call at 12:30.  By 12:45 we're TALKING WITH THE HOSTS.

Now, I have to point out... that while this is a very cool experience, much of it was staged.  After they talked with me and learned what I like/do not like to cook, a few topics were chosen for me and I was asked to start with a particular question.  We can't catch those celebrity chefs off guard with a hard question now, can we?  So, they were my own thoughts and topics, but I was asked to talk about X, Y and Z in particular.  And also, due to the technology of how they overlayed our Skype image intot he studio, we were not able to SEE the chefs while we were talking to them, nor could they see us.  The control room could see us, and then we were green screened in after the fact.  Either way, I did get to really and truly TALK and laugh and joke with the hosts and that was really very cool.

So, without much further ado, I give you, the clip of my 5 minutes of fame; a live taped webcast Q&A with the hosts of THE CHEW.

Titled:  "One if by land, two if by Seafood"

And here's the best part.... if I play my cards right, I could get to visit and be an audience member, AND get to sit at the tasting table.  Finger crossed, I'm planning a trip in July!

Quick & Dirty Cod or Haddock

Fish night is usually a last minute "I'm hungry for fish" kind of evening that causes me to run to the store after work and specifically pick up fish.  I never really plan it.  So by the time I get home, it needs to be done quick, and flavorful. I love fish, and I never seem to buy enough of it the night I make it.  I could eat a whole plateful, forget about sides.  Fish is also healthy, (depending on how you prep and serve) and I try to keep it that way for the most part, that way I can afford to eat MORE of it.  It's also one of the few meats that Kassidy will devour and ask for more of.

I prefer cod, Rob prefers haddock. I make them exactly the same.  The fish itself is really the only difference.  Cod is more dense than haddock and haddock tends to flake when cooked.  I like my meat tender so I'll tell you to pull it from the oven when it's just barely done, leave it in the pan for about 5 and it'll continue to cook to perfection.  Ingredients, you should already have stocked.  So here we go.

Purchasing Fish:

• If you're buying a white fish, you want the fish to be white, not yellow, and not of a mealy looking texture.  It should be vibrant and actually smell like fish.
• If you're buying tuna, you want it bright red.  If it looks pale in color or kinda "limp" let it go, it's been out too long or not fresh.
• If  you're buying salmon, same thing, you want it a nice bright orange/pink and should smell like tuna.
• Haddock, usually comes in a fillet, 2-3 fillets will give you a pound of fish, give or take.
• Cod, can come in a fillet, same as haddock.  But can also come in what's called the captain's cut, which is the larger meatier part of the fillet.  Personal preference.  I like more bang for my buck and just get the whole fillet.

Prepping the Fish:

• Give it a quick rinse under cold water.  Use a paper towel and pat it dry.
• I have a pair of tweezers just for this purpose that I keep in my kitchen utility drawer.  Rub your hand along the top of the fillet and feel for bones.  The fish monger doesn't always get them all.
• Locate the bone, squeeze it and rip it out in the direction that the bone is leaning.
• Turn the fillets over so that what would be skin side is facing up, salt and pepper, sprinkle high, coats evenly.  

 Into the pan:

• I use a clear glass Pyrex baking dish
• Arrange the fillets in the pan.  Turn the thin ends under doubling the thickness. You want the fish to cook evenly throughout so one end is not dry while the other is perfect.
• Sprinkle again with salt and pepper
• Now we play... get ready to get dirty
• sprinkle with paprika, not tooooo much, but a good shake on each fillet.  Rub it in.  Give that fish a nice red massage.  Get into the crevices and turn it pink.
• Give each fillet a quick squeeze of lemon juice, give it a good massage...
• Quick drizzle of olive oil over each fillet, rub it in.  Give it a good massage again, this will help give it a tan crispy top.
• Now, you could stop here and toss them into the oven....
• But why stop, when you could add bread crumbs?  I use Italian seasoning blend.  Coat them evening on top and again, pat it down and rub them on.

Baking:

• I like my fish broiled.  As a mom of now 2, dinner needs to be done in less than 30 minutes.  Turn your oven broil on High.  Put on center rack.  Close the door (yeah, I know, you're not "supposed" to when you broil, but this works, trust me.
• Set your timer.  This should only take 8-12 minutes.  Yes, you heard me... 12 minutes to make yummy, fish.
• When the timer goes of at 8 minutes, check it.  Open the flakey crevices a little bit, do they still look translucent and raw?  Put them back in for another 2 minutes, repeat.
• When the flake pieces start to separate from one another, the fish is done, pull it immediately.
• Let it rest, like any other meat for 5-10 minutes.

 I serve this typically with Beats (for me, since Rob doesn't like them and Kass is touch and go), "some kind of green vegetable" and pan fried potatoes. (yep, another recipe for another blog)