Saffron-Infused Lobster Risotto with Caviar and Gold Leaf
There are few dishes that announce unapologetic luxury quite like this risotto. Prime lobster tails are poached gently in saffron butter until just barely cooked, then folded at the last moment into Carnaroli that has been slowly coaxed into perfect all’onda creaminess with lobster-shell stock. The final liaison is a generous amount of infused cultured butter, the surface is crowned with a quenelle of Osetra caviar, and the entire plate is touched with edible 24-karat gold leaf. It is opulence made edible.
Serves 8 generous portions
Active time: 2 hours | Total time: 3½ hours plus 7-day infusion
Dosage: exactly 15 mg THC per portion (120 mg total in the entire dish)
Infusion (start 7–10 days ahead)
Decarboxylation
3.5 g cannabis flower testing 22 % THC
Grind medium-fine, spread evenly on parchment, place in cold oven set to 240 °F, bake exactly 40 minutes. Cool completely in turned-off oven with door cracked. Store airtight.
Infused cultured butter (yields ≈ 420 g containing exactly 120 mg usable THC)
500 g highest-quality European-style cultured butter (82–84 % fat)
3.5 g fully decarbed cannabis
1 tsp sunflower lecithin granules
0.4 g (two large pinches) finest Persian saffron threads
Melt butter with lecithin and saffron in a large mason jar in a 200 °F water bath. When fully liquid, add decarbed cannabis. Hold water bath at steady 185–190 °F for exactly 2 hours, swirling every 15 minutes. Strain hot through a 90-micron filter then coffee filter. Cool 10 minutes, whip 60 seconds with immersion blender. Refrigerate overnight. The butter will be deep sunset orange with intense saffron aroma.
Ingredients
For the lobster stock and poached lobster
4 live lobsters (1½–1¾ lb each
100 g infused cultured butter (from above)
0.3 g additional saffron threads
2 shallots, finely diced
1 small fennel bulb, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
200 ml dry vermouth
4 L water
For the risotto
400 g Carnaroli rice
150 ml dry white wine
≈ 2.5 L hot lobster stock (kept simmering)
Remaining ≈ 320 g infused saffron butter (cold, diced)
80 g 24-month Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
Fine sea salt
For finishing
125 g Osetra or Royal caviar
Edible 24-karat gold leaf
Chive batons
Method
Dispatch lobsters humanely. Separate tails and claws. Blanch tails 90 seconds and claws 3 minutes in boiling salted water; shock in ice. Remove meat in whole pieces, reserve shells.
In a wide pot, melt 100 g infused butter. Sauté shells with shallots, fennel, carrot, tomato paste, and saffron until deeply caramelized. Deglaze with vermouth, reduce completely. Add water, simmer 45 minutes. Strain, reduce to 3 L intensely flavored stock.
Warm the lobster tail and claw meat gently in a small pan with a spoonful of stock and a knob of infused butter until just heated through. Slice tails into medallions.
In a heavy risotto pot over medium heat, toast rice dry for 2 minutes. Add wine, stir until absorbed. Begin adding hot stock one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until rice is al dente and flowing (18–20 minutes). Remove from heat, beat in cold infused saffron butter and Parmigiano vigorously until glossy and creamy. Adjust seasoning.
Spoon risotto into warmed deep plates forming a shallow well in the center. Arrange warm lobster medallions and claw meat in the well. Top each portion with a generous quenelle of caviar and several shards of gold leaf. Scatter a few chive batons.
Serve immediately, with chilled vintage Champagne alongside.
15 mg THC per portion. Extravagance incarnate.