Shrimp and Spring Vegetable Risotto

 

I've found that I really enjoy a good risotto whether it is plain, with sausage or chicken. Now it's time to try one with shrimp. Interestingly, this recipe directs you to use the shrimp and vegetable trimmings to round out the stock. That I'll be using every scrap from the prep to make this makes my day.

 

Another instruction says, "10 minutes before rice is done...." which implies you have to have an idea when that is going to be. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm no rice cooking expert and determining when the rice is going to be finished is going to be a total stroke of luck.

 

Shrimp and Spring Vegetable Risotto

from Cooking Club of America
click to print

8 oz. shell-on uncooked medium shrimp (31 to 35 count)
4 c chicken stock
1 3/4 c water
8 oz. asparagus
1 c sugar snap peas
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
3/4 c Arborio rice
1/3 c dry white wine or clam juice
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp butter

Peel and devein shrimp, reserving shells and tails.

Bring broth and water to a simmer in large saucepan.

 

Meanwhile, snap off tough ends of asparagus, reserving trimmings for flavoring broth.
 

Peel spears if desired; cut into 3/4-inch pieces. Pull off stem ends and strings from sugar snap peas, reserving trimmings for broth. Cut in half diagonally.

Add shrimp shells and tails and asparagus and pea trimmings to broth. Simmer, partially covered, over medium-low heat 20 minutes.

 

Strain into large saucepan, pressing on solids to extract maximum flavor; discard solids. Bring broth to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; keep broth at a simmer.
  

Heat oil in large wide saucepan over medium heat until hot. Cook onion and carrot 2 to 3 minutes or until softened but not browned, stirring occasionally.

  

Add rice; cook and stir 30 seconds.

 

Add wine; cook and stir 30 seconds or until almost evaporated.

 

Add 1 cup of the hot broth; cook and stir until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
  

This is over 4 minutes.

Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, waiting until most of it has been absorbed before adding more, stirring occasionally.

  

Over 5 minutes.

 

Another 4-5 minutes.

 

And another 4 minutes.

Ten minutes before rice is done cooking, stir in asparagus and sugar snap peas.
 

Cook and stir 5 minutes, adding broth as needed.

 

Stir in shrimp; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink, vegetables are tender and rice is tender with slight firmness to center, adding broth as needed. (Risotto should have creamy, not soupy, texture.)

 

Remove from heat; stir in cheese, lemon peel and butter.

 


This is the best risotto cranked out of my kitchen yet. I'm not sure if it was the micro-milled arborio rice or if I'm just getting good at this, but the dish was so creamy it was what you could call velvety. The rice was creamy, the asparagus and peas softened but not mushy, the shrimp tender and not at all rubbery. Perfect!

As an FYI, I had stock left, almost 1 full cup. Don't be shocked if you do too. Note too that I chose to add the asparagus and peas after softening the rice with stock over about 20 minutes. That worked very well and hopefully offers some reasonable timeline for you if you try this recipe.

Cost:

• shrimp: $2.50
• chicken stock: $0.64
• asparagus: $1.08
• snap peas: $1.25
• olive oil: $0.03
• onion: $0.27
• carrot: $0.59
• Arborio rice: $0.75
• dry white wine: $1.50
• Parmesan cheese: $0.89
• lemon: $0.31
• butter: $0.02

Total: $9.83 or $2.46 for each of four servings.

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