The Perfect Storm: Pumpkin Risotto with Lobster

So it didn't storm really last night, but it was cold and rainy and we stayed home.  Dinner came together like a perfect storm, throwing together whatever we had in the fridge, freezer and pantry.  This was so good, I did not even stop to take a picture of it. 

Ingredients:

Olive Oil
Small onion, minced
1 cup-ish Arborio rice
A swirl or two of oaky chardonnay (I used Toasted Head)
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1/2 box leftover beef stock (about 2 cups)
2 cups of warm water, with sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 can pureed pumpkin
Fresh nutmeg
1 cup or so of shredded fontina
A few pats of butter
2 frozen lobster tails
1 lemon

What to do:

Boil water in a large stock pot to boil lobster tails.  I boiled them covered for about 10 minutes, then I turned the heat off, added two lemon wedges and salt, then covered the pan again and let the tails sit while I cooked the risotto.

Heat oil in large saute pan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook about three minutes or until soft.  Add risotto and toast for a minute or two, stirring.  Add the wine, let it cook and soak into the risotto for a minute or so.  Then, add the stock little by little, then most of the water (save maybe a quarter cup), for the next twenty minutes or so, until it's all absorbed and the texture of the risotto is just almost cooked (soft, but still chewy).  Add pumpkin, a bit of salt, then fresh nutmeg.  Turn heat off and cover.

I let the almost finished risotto sit while we had lentil soup.  That's another story. 

When we were ready for the main course, I turned the heat back on the risotto, low, added the rest of the water and mixed it in, turned the heat off again, then added the cheese and a pat of butter.

I took the lobster meat off the tails. 

We plated it as follows:  A few scoops of risotto in the bowl, then the lobster meat, a squeeze of fresh lemon over the top, then a pat of melted butter.  Sprinkle a little parsley.  I added some pine nuts (again).

This was the best risotto ever.  Seriously.