Risotto With Shrimps

Main Serves 6 people Italy

75 g unsalted butter

1 carrot, chopped coarsely

1 medium sized onion, peeled and chopped coarsely

6 fresh parsley stalks, chopped coarsely

1/2 bay leaf

750 g fresh raw prawns (shell on), washed

75 ml cooking brandy

3 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil

500 g Carnaroli rice

400 ml dry white wine

Approx. 2 litres pints fish stock, kept hot

Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon

For the prawn concentrate: 120 g unsalted butter

Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, to garnish



Step 1
In a large sauté pan, gently fry together approximately half the 75 g of butter with   the carrot, half the onion, the parsley stalks and the halved bay leaf.
Step 2

When the vegetables are all soft, add the raw prawns and cook them quickly,asting with the brandy, until they are pink and cooked through.   

Step 3

Take the pan off the heat, put a few whole prawns aside to garnish the finished dish and remove the heads from all the remaining prawns. Then peel the prawns and reserve the heads and shells and put the cooked, peeled prawns to one side. 

Step 4

Gather together all the shells, the heads and the softened vegetables in a bowl. Transfer to the bowl of the food processor (or leave in the bowl and use a stick blender) and whizz until completely smooth.  Transfer this puree back into a clean bowl.

Step 5

Melt the 120 g of butter in a large saucepan very slowly. 

Step 6

Add the puree and mix together thoroughly until you have formed a thick, smooth buttery paste.  

Step 7

Add one to two ladles of the hot fish stock and stir together thoroughly until simmering. Strain carefully and set to one side. 

Step 8

Wipe out the pan. Chop the remaining half onion very finely and fry in the remaining butter and the Extra Virgin olive oil in the same pan, until soft and transparent but not browned.

Step 9

Add all the rice and stir until crackling hot for about 4 minutes, then pour in the wine. Evaporate the alcohol over a medium to high heat for one to two minutes, and then begin to add the hot stock to the rice, stirring and adding stock gradually always and only once the rice has absorbed the previous addition of stock. You can add more stock when the spoon opens up a clear wake behind it as you draw it through the cooking risotto. Continue in this way until the rice is cooked, velvety and creamy, but still firm in he centre of the grain.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. 

Step 10

Take off the heat, stir in the puree, the cooked, peeled prawns and the lemon zest.  Mix together with one more ladle of stock until heated through, and then cover with a lid. Rest for 4 minutes, then stir once more and transfer on to a warmed platter to serve at once, garnished with the reserved prawns and  sprinkled with a little chopped fresh parsley.