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Beer and Butter Poached Lobster with Saison Risotto

Lets Get romantic, shall we?

Last year, my Valentines day post earned my quite a bit of hate mail. But, I suppose when you label your post "How Blow Jobs and Shoe Shopping Are Alike," That’s bound to happen.

But the post wasn’t about blow jobs, or shoe shopping, and the hate mail was largely from single women who had never been in a successful long term relationships, and exclusively from people who didn’t read the entire thing.

The post is about figuring out what your partner needs to feel important and giving it to them gladly and frequently. Because although the "Golden Rule" is Treat Others How You Would Like To Be Treated, I think that might be what’s wrong with most relationships.

Because, really, treating someone how YOU would like to be treated is pretty self-involved and arrogant. How about Treat Others How THEY Would Like To Be Treated and maybe we would have a higher marriage success rate as a nation. Because although you might think you’ve done everything you can for your partner, maybe the problem is that you’re asking, "What else can I do?" rather than, "What do they need?"

Can you tell I have a Masters in Psychology? I would have made a terrible therapist, but I make a killer risotto.

So here it is, with some beer and butter poached lobster.

Beer and Butter Poached Lobster with Saison Risotto

For this recipe I used Saison Rue from The Bruery.

Beer and Butter Poached Lobster with Saison Risotto

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Risotto

  • 2 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbs chopped shallots
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • ¾ cups arborio rice
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ cup Saison Beer plus 2 tbs, divided
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbs heavy cream
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 tbs chopped chives

For The Lobster:

  • 2 ½ cups unsalted butter
  • 12 ounces 1 1/2 cups Saison beer
  • 2 fresh lobster tails

Instructions
 

  • Place the chicken broth in a saucepan and bring to a mild simmer, keeping to warm, but not boiling.
  • In a separate pot, add the butter and allow to melt over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened, but don’t allow to brown. Add the garlic and cook until you can smell them, about 20 seconds
  • Stir in the rice, (if pan is dry, add the oil) cooking until the rice is completely coated with butter and it smells slightly nutty, don’t allow to brown. About 2 minutes.
  • Add ½ cup of the beer and cook until the pan begins to dry, stirring frequently. About 6 minutes.
  • Add about ½ cup of broth into the rice. Stir frequently until the rice is almost dry, and then add another ½ cup and repeat. This process should take about 20 minutes. Don’t leave the risotto while it’s cooking, the rice on the bottom of the pan burns easily. (if you run out of broth, just use hot water the same way you would broth)
  • Once your risotto is cooked through (taste it to verify that the rice is cooked and not crunchy), turn heat to low and add the cheese, cream, remaining 2 tbs beer and salt and pepper to taste. Risotto should be soft and wet, not dry like typical rice. It should be firm enough to be served as a side on a plate, but soft enough to jiggle when the plate is shaken.
  • While the risotto is cooking, start working on the lobster. Using a sharp pair of kitchen sheers, cut a straight line down the tail shell, carefully remove the tail meat in one piece.
  • In a small sauce pan (if the pan is too big, the lobster will not be covered by the butter and beer), melt the butter. Don’t allow to brown or simmer.
  • Add the beer and clip a cooking thermometer on the side of pan, making sure to maintain a temperature between 160 and 180 degrees. Do not boil or even simmer the poaching liquid.
  • Once the poaching liquid has reached the proper temperature, add the tails. Cook until the tails have turned red and the meat is just opaque, about 6 to 8 minutes. Don’t overcook or tails will be rubbery.
  • Divide the risotto between two plates, sprinkle with chives.
  • Top with lobster tails, serve immediately.

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Comments


Dana February 5, 2013 um 5:29 am

Fantastic! Perfect meal for valentines day!

Reply

Cassie | Bake Your Day February 5, 2013 um 6:04 am

I love the way you write, Jackie! Haters will be haters, I guess! But this risotto – I adore. And the lobster – totally drooling right now.

Reply

Jackie February 5, 2013 um 7:52 am

I referred to that as my "Poke The Trolls" post. I was getting really irritated by mean, irrational comments and emails so I felt like, "Oh yeah? What something to hate me for? here it is!" I still stand by what I wrote, although I was a touch more crude than I had to be, but I think I got the point across! I did have a guy send me an email saying he didn’t know how to explain to his wife how he had been feeling ignored in their marriage without "sounding like an asshole" and then once he read my post, it was exactly how he felt and he sent it to his wife with, "These cookies look good!" she ended up reading the post, they talked about it and apparently their marriage got better. So that’s pretty amazing!

Reply

Bev @ Bev Cooks February 5, 2013 um 6:35 am

I kind of want to be your Valentine.

Reply

GingerMae February 5, 2013 um 8:27 am

I like crude. Good for you for standing by what you wrote/write! It seems like peoples' sensitivity levels are so high these days.

Reply

Jackie February 5, 2013 um 3:57 pm

I think you and I will get along just fine 😉

Reply

Averie @ Averie Cooks February 5, 2013 um 9:55 am

What a post. Great thoughts. And great risotto and lobster-at-home. Look at you, Mrs. Fancy. I love this!

Reply

Kendra Thornton February 5, 2013 um 11:59 am

Hi Jackie,

I have a quick question about your blog. Please email me when you get a chance..thank you!

Reply

Jackie February 5, 2013 um 12:04 pm

Hey Kendra, feel free to email me whenever you’d like: [email protected]

Reply

katie February 5, 2013 um 1:34 pm

Oh my gosh you crack me up! It is so true. The way I want to be treated is way different than my husband wants to be treated 🙂 This risotto looks fab and I know my husband would appreciate this since he is a beer guru.

Reply

Bree February 5, 2013 um 1:55 pm

Love it! I bet your are right. This meal looks absolutely perfect for vday

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Ari @ Ari’s Menu February 5, 2013 um 4:06 pm

OMG. Who even needs to go out for valentines day when THIS is an option?? I almost never freak out over actual food that isn’t a cookie or ice cream, but I am so in love with everything about this!

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Elise February 5, 2013 um 4:39 pm

I don’t mean to be a hater AT ALL, I do greatly enjoy your blog and think you’re extremely talented… but what is up with the pour on that beer? (Also with your previous post, the red beans and rice?) Clearly I go out for drinks far too much… but just wondering!
This recipe looks amazing, I wish my boyfriend wasn’t allergic to shellfish!

Reply

Jackie February 5, 2013 um 4:55 pm

I’m in no way Cicerone Certified, but I do like to aerate my beer, I think it makes it taste better. I always hope that by the time I go to take the photos, the beer has settled and I’ve filled the glass, but clearly I’m a little impatient these days!

Reply

Elise February 6, 2013 um 7:36 am

Fair enough! I just know that I have gone to bars and gotten some truly awful looking pours, and the bartender (who clearly does not drink beer) doesn’t get why I don’t want to pay $4+ for a pint of all foam! I knew that would definitely not be your issue though haha.

Reply

addie | culicurious February 5, 2013 um 5:04 pm

this looks decadent and totally amazing! 🙂

Reply

Coffee Fairy February 5, 2013 um 6:27 pm

Hi Beeroness! One of my friends wanted to make this for his soon-to-be-wife but she doesn’t eat lobster – is there another kind of meat that would be good?

Reply

Jackie February 5, 2013 um 6:39 pm

You have such a nice friend! Maybe just go with risotto and then make a steak? I’m not sure if another type of meat would work for that method without alterations. Does she eat any fish?

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Coffee Fairy February 6, 2013 um 3:35 pm

I’ll check! Thanks for the reply!

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Paul February 5, 2013 um 7:30 pm

Excellent! This looks amazing

Reply

ashley – baker by nature February 5, 2013 um 8:35 pm

Hmmmmm, this post confirmed my already wild love for you, lady! You’re brillant!

Reply

Julie February 6, 2013 um 8:59 am

Risotto with beer. I mean that seems like a perfectly natural substitution for the wine but I have never considered it. You have revolutionized my risotto making!

Reply

claire @ the realistic nutritionist February 6, 2013 um 3:40 pm

I love you. And beer. and risotto. and lobster. and shoe shopping.

Reply

Samantha February 6, 2013 um 9:01 pm

Thank you.

I think you may have just defined the success of Ross and my marriage. In our busy lives, it means so so much when one of us takes the time to think of what may ease the other’s stress. And a healthy dose of patience helps too. And good food. And lots of beer.

This dinner look divine. I have a love affair with risotto. We’ll be seeing this on our menu in the near future.

Reply

Jackie February 7, 2013 um 7:27 am

You should write a book called, "Food, Beer & Patience." It seems like such a small thing to take a step back and figure out what the person you love needs, but its amazing how many people sort of forget to do that. Sounds like you’ll have a long and happy marriage. with food and beer 😉

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fran February 14, 2013 um 6:22 am

Beautiful lobster!

Reply

Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen February 15, 2013 um 4:56 am

Good morning! I have featured this lovely recipe on my blog for my weekly seafood round-up and have also linked this recipe to your original post so that my readers will be forwarded to your site. Thank you for allowing me to share and have a wonderful weekend. Here is the link: http://carriesexperimentalkitchen.blogspot.com/2013/02/seafood-frenzy-friday-week-48.html

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douglas February 15, 2013 um 10:50 am

This was great! The risotto was amazing!

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Francine B. February 24, 2013 um 6:40 pm

Youre so cool! I actually google stalk you. Cooking with beer, and beautiful photos? Love it!

Reply

Kimberley October 31, 2016 um 2:43 pm

OMG! We had a couple of freshly caught (Friday night) California Spiny Lobster in the fridge and I was in need of a new recipe. (You can only have surf and turf so many times during the lobster season)

I made this last night and it was delish! I have never attempted risotto before, but I followed your directions to a T and it turned out perfect! I do have to ask why you have 1Tbls Vegetable Oil, as it is not used in the directions.

I prepped all of the ingredients ahead of time, and started heating the poaching liquid at the same time that I started heating the broth. I had the poaching liquid on a low heat and gradually brought it up to 170 while I still had about a cup of broth left for the risotto. When I felt the risotto was about 10 minutes out from done, I brought the poaching liquid up to 185 before dropping in the tails. The temperature dropped as expected, so I bumped the flame up until the temperature reached a constant 175. I had two tails, one at 10oz and one just over 1lb. I took them out at 6 minutes and cut them in half, put them back in the liquid for another 2 minutes and they were perfect!

I will be making this recipe again after our next hunt! Thank you.

ps: I have now found another beer that I like too; bonus!

Reply

Jackie October 31, 2016 um 3:49 pm

That’s so awesome! I’m so glad you liked it.

Reply

Max December 13, 2016 um 3:26 pm

When you say proper temperature for poaching liquid, what temperature are you referring to?

thanks, Max

Reply

Jackie December 13, 2016 um 7:12 pm

The directions state "Add the beer and clip a cooking thermometer on the side of pan, making sure to maintain a temperature between 160F and 180F degrees."
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks!

Reply

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