Prawn Risotto Recipes

Steps:

• Bring 1litre/13⁄4pints water to the boil in a large pan, add 1 tbsp salt, then tip in the prawns, garlic and bay and return to the boil for 3-5 minutes until cooked, depending on the size of the prawns. Cool then shell the prawns. If they are large, you may wish to slice them, but leave smaller ones whole. Return the heads and shells to the stock and continue to boil for 20 minutes.
• Put a medium size, heavy bottomed pan with a tight fitting lid on a low heat. Tip in the olive oil and 25g/1oz of the butter, and cook the shallots or onion for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add 1 tbsp of stock to stop them colouring, if necessary.
• Stir in the rice so it absorbs all the buttery oil. When it is opaque and rustling as you stir, pour in all the wine. Keep stirring while the rice absorbs the wine - it should not evaporate into the air, so keep the heat low.
• Meanwhile, strain the stock, return to the pan, top up with water and turn up the heat. Turn up the heat under the rice, too, as you need a moderate to lively heat. Stir the rice and add stock as needed to keep a veil of water above the level of rice for 10 minutes.
• Add the prawns and tomato purée. From this point on I start to add less and less stock every time, to avoid the risk of forcing the rice to absorb too much stock. Start to taste the odd grain of rice. You want to stop cooking when it still has a tiny crunchy uncooked bit in the centre.
• Season the risotto with salt and white pepper. Take the pan off the heat, add the remaining butter and enough stock to cover the risotto by about 2.5-5cm/1-2in, you have to judge how much it will absorb. Stir well, cover and leave it to rest for 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley and serve at once.

Steps:

• Cook peas in boiling stock or water. Don't waste pods, you can place them in the stock after the peas are cooked to infuse their fantastic delicate flavor. Use this stock as part of the stock/water for the risotto. At the end of Stage 3 in the basic risotto recipe, add the prawns and peas and simmer for 1 minute as prawns take no time to cook. At Stage 4 of the risotto recipe throw in the fresh herbs and squeeze the lemon juice. Stir and serve immediately. Drizzle with good peppery olive oil.;
• Stage 1. Heat stock. In a separate pan heat the olive oil, add the shallots or onion, garlic and celery and slowly fry for about 3 minutes. When the vegetables have softened, add the rice, season with salt and pepper and turn up the heat. Stage 2. The rice will now begin to fry, so keep stirring it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent having absorbed all the flavors from the vegetables. Add the vermouth or wine and keep stirring -- it will smell fantastic as it sizzles around the rice. Any harsh alcohol flavors will evaporate and leave the rice with a tasty essence. Stage 3. Once the vermouth or wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a good pinch of salt. Turn down the heat to a highish simmer so the rice doesn't cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladles of stock, stirring and allowing each ladle of liquid to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15 minutes. Taste the rice -- is it cooked? Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. Don't forget to carefully check the seasoning. Stage 4. Remove from the heat and add the butter and Parmesan, if using. Stir gently. Place lid on pan and allow to sit for 2 to 3 minutes. This is the most important part of making the risotto as this is when it becomes outrageously creamy and oozy like it should be. Eat as soon as possible while the risotto retains its perfect texture.
• Yield: 6 servings

Steps:

• Peel the prawns, keeping the heads and shells. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the prawn shells and heads with the sliced chilli until they have toasted and changed colour. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer.
• Bring the stock to the boil and keep on a low simmer. In a separate pan, melt half the butter over a medium heat. Stir in the onions and sweat gently for 8-10 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir the rice into the onions 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 in the wine and simmer until totally evaporated. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring with each addition until absorbed. Stir through the prawns and peas. Continue adding stock a ladleful at a time and stirring the rice over a low heat for 25-30 mins, until the rice is cooked al dente (with a slightly firm, starchy bite in the middle). The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy. When you draw a wooden spoon through it, there should be a wake that holds for a few moments but not longer. Cook until the prawns change colour. Stir through the chopped chilli, lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Let the risotto rest for a few mins, then serve, topped with the lemon zest.

Steps:

• Blanch peas and zucchini in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain, refresh under cold water and drain again.
• Set aside.
• Heat oil in a large frypan, add onion and saffron, and cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until onion is softened but not coloured.
• Add the rice, garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
• Add lemon rind and a third of the stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
• Repeat twice by separately adding the remaining thirds of stock.
• Add prawns, blanched vegetables and lemon juice, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
• Stir in parsley and season.

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan, combine the water wine and bay leaf and bring it to a boil. Add the frozen shrimp and cook, uncovered, until the shrimp turn pink and opaque in the center. With a slotted spoon, remove the prawns and set aside. Strain the remaining liquid into a measuring cup and discard the bay leave. Set the shrimp stock aside.
• Turn the rice cooker on and set it on the Quick Cook cycle. When the pot is hot, add the oil, then the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are soft. Add the spinach and cook until the leaves wilt. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with oil and cook until the rice becomes transparent, except for a white spot on each grain, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, combine the reserved shrimp stock and enough chicken stock until you have three cups of liquid. Add the liquid to the rice cooker pot and stir to combine it with the remaining ingredients.
• Set the rice on the regular or Porridge cycle and set a timer for 20 minutes and close the cover. After 20 minutes, add the shrimp to the pot and stir. Close the cover one more time and allow the rice to steam for 5 minutes.
• The risotto came out very sticky, like rice pudding, but very flavorful. I added only a pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper to each bowl of risotto before serving.