Lobster Farrotto With Lobster Mushrooms And Zucchini Recipes

LOBSTER RISOTTO WITH SAFFRON, CHERRY TOMATOES AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• For the court-bouillon: Prepare a large pot of boiling water (about 8 quarts). To the water, add the lemon halves, garlic, thyme, coriander seeds, bay leaves, salt and wine. Bring the pot back to a boil, then add the lobster and cook until bright red, 10 minutes. Remove the lobster from the water and set aside to cool.
• When cool enough to handle, remove the tail, claw and knuckle meat and reserve the shells and bodies. Keep 2 pieces of claw meat whole and reserve. Slice 1 tail lengthwise into 4 pieces and reserve. Dice the remaining tail into large chunks along with the remaining claw meat and knuckle meat. Set aside.
• For the risotto: Warm the chicken stock in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the reserved lobster shells and bodies to the stock.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with kosher salt and a pinch of crushed red pepper and saute until the onions are translucent, 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the olive oil and onion. Toast the rice, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine, tomatoes and a pinch of salt and stir frequently until the liquid has completely absorbed.
• Begin to add the hot stock, two ladlefuls at a time. Stir frequently until the stock has absorbed into the rice. Add the saffron. Repeat adding the stock two more times until the rice is tender but still has some bite to it. There may be leftover stock. Add the zucchini, diced lobster meat, butter, parmesan cheese and parsley. Stir vigorously to combine. Season with kosher salt to taste.
• To plate, scoop generous portions of risotto into 4 bowls. Halve the reserved pieces of claw meat crosswise to make 4 pieces. Garnish each portion with a piece of lobster claw and tail.

FETTUCCINE WITH LOBSTER AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch sauté pan. Add shallot and garlic, and sauté on medium-low until soft but not brown. Add the tomatoes and cook about 5 minutes, until most of their liquid has evaporated. Add another tablespoon of the olive oil and then the zucchini and cook, stirring, 3 minutes or so, until the zucchini is tender but not soft. Fold in 1 tablespoon of the mint and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chives.
• Add the feta and cook, stirring, a few minutes, until it softens. Stir in paprika, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cream, bring to a simmer and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the cream starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the lobster meat.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook the fettuccine until al dente, about 6 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta, add to the sauté pan, drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of oil and the lemon zest and toss with the zucchini and lobster mixture. Add pasta water, turn the heat to low, add salt and pepper, if needed, and gently mix the ingredients for no more than 3 minutes, just until heated through. Serve with a scattering of the remaining chives and mint.

STEWED CHICKPEAS WITH TOMATOES AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Beans: In a large pot, combine the beans, the whole half onion, carrot, celery, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves and thyme bundle. Fill the pot with water to cover the surface of the beans by 2 inches. DO NOT add salt here! Adding salt at this point can prevent the beans from cooking and make the skins of the beans tough or make them break. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour and then do the "5 bean" test. Bite 5 beans, if they are all properly cooked, continue on, if not cook the beans for another 10 to 15 minutes and try again.
• When the beans are cooked, turn off the heat and season the water abundantly with salt. This will allow the beans to absorb seasoning without making the skins tough. Let the beans sit in the salted water for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Reserve 1 cup of bean cooking water, strain the beans and set aside.
• Stew: (This can be started while the chickpeas are cooking! Multitasking! Woohoo!)
• Coat a large wide pot with olive oil, then add the diced onions, salt, to taste, crushed red pepper, ground cumin and fennel seeds. Bring the oil to a medium heat and cook the spices until they are very aromatic and the onions are soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the 2 smashed garlic cloves and cook another 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, and zucchini. Season with salt and taste, adjust the seasoning if needed (it will). Cook the tomato-zucchini mixture for about 15 minutes. Add in the cooked chickpeas and reserved bean cooking water and simmer until all the bean water has evaporated and the mixture looks like a stew, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer the stew to a serving bowl and serve immediately or at room temperature.
• Hey chickpea!

PASTA WITH LOBSTER, WILD MUSHROOMS, AND CREAM

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lobster tails and sauté until shells are bright red in spots, about 5 minutes. Cover skillet; reduce heat to low and cook until lobster is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Using slotted spoon, transfer lobster to work surface. Using heavy large knife, cut each tail lengthwise in half. Remove meat from shell. Cut meat crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Return same skillet to medium-high heat (do not clean). Add mushrooms, half of basil, green onions, and garlic; sauté until mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes. Add cream and clam juice. Boil until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add lobster (or shrimp if using) and simmer 1 minute. Stir in remaining basil. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain well. Return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta and add cheese; toss over low heat until warmed through, then serve.