Food

Rob Rossi’s Lobster Risotto

By Alexandra Whyte On February 19th, 2025

“A rich lobster-stock risotto is topped with gently cooked tails. If you’re going to spend the money on lobster, you’ve got to do it right!” — Rob Rossi, director of Culinary for Osteria Giulia, Giulietta and Bisteccheria Sammarco in Toronto

Ingredients

Serves 2

Lobster Stock (batch)

2 live lobsters
3 tbsp olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 bay leaves
6–8 sprigs thyme
1 tsp fennel seed, lightly crushed
Dash red pepper flakes
2 cups dry white wine
14 oz. crushed tomatoes, plus juice
6 cups water

Risotto

3/4 cup raw carnaroli rice
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 oz. white wine
3 cups Lobster Stock (see previous column)
Reserved lobster meat from stock, cut into small pieces
3 tbsp cold butter, cubed
1 tbsp chives
Chervil or amaranth, for garnish

Directions

Make Stock

In pot of salted boiling water, cook lobsters for 7 minutes. Cool in ice, then deshell. Set aside head, claws and empty carapace. Reserve cooked meat for risotto.
Heat olive oil in small pot over medium heat. Add chopped vegetables and cook until vegetables start to sweat, 5 to 6 minutes. Add herbs, lobster shells and wine, scraping bits off bottom of pan as wine deglazes, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 60 minutes. Strain and set aside 3 cups of hot stock. Refrigerate rest of stock in airtight container up to 1 week.

Make Risotto and Serve

In deep sauté pan, stir rice with olive oil over medium heat until rice is toasted, 5 minutes. Add wine and cook until most of wine has evaporated, 5 minutes.
Slowly add 1 cup of hot Lobster Stock. Stir constantly and continue to add small amounts of stock, letting it cook into rice, about 20 minutes. Once all stock has been added, taste rice to ensure it’s cooked.
Add cooked lobster meat (excluding tails), cold butter and chives. Check seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper, as needed. Finished rice should have creamy, fluid consistency. Spoon onto warmed plates, top with tails and garnish with additional herbs. Enjoy!

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