by Balmer Lawn Hotel Executive Chef Chris Wheeldon
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 native lobster
200 grams mussels
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 glass white wine
3 lime leaves
1 litre kombu dashi stock (available from Asian supermarkets)
2 lemongrass sticks, bruised
1 tin coconut milk
1 shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
300 grams carnaroli or arborio rice
A few leaves of coriander and lemon balm for garnish
Directions:
Cook lobster for 8 minutes in boiling salted water then cool and crack the shells, and carefully remove the flesh.
Check that all mussels are closed. Cook mussels in a tablespoon of butter and the white wine, pick mussels over, discard any that don’t open. Keep any liquor and add to your dashi – be sure to strain it to remove any silt.
Cut lime leaves as small as possible and add to your dashi with the lemongrass, and warm through; infuse for 1 hour then add the coconut milk.
Sweat off the shallots and crushed garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter.
Add the rice and cook for a few minutes.
Add the dashi and coconut milk a little at a time stirring constantly. The rice should be cooked in about twenty minutes; it should be cooked all the way through and soft in texture.
Finish with the remaining butter.
Warm the mussels and lobster under the grill for a few moments.
To serve, arrange risotto on the plate, set the mussels and lobster on top, garnish with some coriander and lemon balm.