I love risotto, love prawns and a summer dish should lighten up this very wintery evening... a culinary oxymoron in adding plenty of lemon juice: the sharpness of lemon in a clear contrast with the sweetness of fresh prawns.
Risotto takes time to prepare, it can't be left while cooking. It needs all your attention and dedication. Before you can even notice you'll get burnt rice! Its full, embracing and well-balanced taste will be your rewards!
Ingredients for 3 people:
240g carnaroli rice
280g raw fresh prawns
1 shallot
juice from 2 lemons
1l vegetable broth
salt, pepper to taste
40g butter
EVO oil
3/4 glass dry white wine
Preparation:
Bring the stock to the boil and keep on a low simmer.
In a separate pan, chop the shallot very thinly and add it to a frying pan with 20g of butter. Sweat gently for 5 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rice until completely coated in the butter, then stir continuously until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent.
Pour the wine, increase the heat and simmer until completely evaporated and then add the fresh lemon juice. Once absorbed, add the stock one a ladleful at a time. Stir gently and continuously for 18-20 mins, adding each ladleful of stock only when the previous one is almost completely absorbed.
Towards the end of the rice cooking time (about 15 mins in), heat a frying pan and drizzle some EVO oil, add the prawns and salt and pepper to taste. If you have salt with lemon even better. Quickly cook until the prawns turn pink but are not completely done. This will leave the prawns soft, not chewy, and preserve their flavour.
Once the rice is ready (you'll want it to be 'al dente' - just - and it may be best to add a small splash of stock at the end to make sure it remains sufficiently creamy), turn off the heat, fold in the prawns and the remaining butter and stir very gently until the butter is melted. It takes another two minutes of patience to get the risotto to the perfect level of ooziness. Let it rest with a lid on for a few moments (this is called 'mantecare'). Then, enjoy!
Risotto takes time to prepare, it can't be left while cooking. It needs all your attention and dedication. Before you can even notice you'll get burnt rice! Its full, embracing and well-balanced taste will be your rewards!
Ingredients for 3 people:
240g carnaroli rice
280g raw fresh prawns
1 shallot
juice from 2 lemons
1l vegetable broth
salt, pepper to taste
40g butter
EVO oil
3/4 glass dry white wine
Preparation:
Bring the stock to the boil and keep on a low simmer.
In a separate pan, chop the shallot very thinly and add it to a frying pan with 20g of butter. Sweat gently for 5 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rice until completely coated in the butter, then stir continuously until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent.
Pour the wine, increase the heat and simmer until completely evaporated and then add the fresh lemon juice. Once absorbed, add the stock one a ladleful at a time. Stir gently and continuously for 18-20 mins, adding each ladleful of stock only when the previous one is almost completely absorbed.
Towards the end of the rice cooking time (about 15 mins in), heat a frying pan and drizzle some EVO oil, add the prawns and salt and pepper to taste. If you have salt with lemon even better. Quickly cook until the prawns turn pink but are not completely done. This will leave the prawns soft, not chewy, and preserve their flavour.
Once the rice is ready (you'll want it to be 'al dente' - just - and it may be best to add a small splash of stock at the end to make sure it remains sufficiently creamy), turn off the heat, fold in the prawns and the remaining butter and stir very gently until the butter is melted. It takes another two minutes of patience to get the risotto to the perfect level of ooziness. Let it rest with a lid on for a few moments (this is called 'mantecare'). Then, enjoy!
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