Cooking With Rania: Shrimp Risotto With Sweet Peas And Leeks
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Ciao! All through May, Rania Harris, of Rania's Catering, is giving us a tour of Italian cuisine. Today, she's making a Shrimp Risotto With Sweet Peas And Leeks for dinner!
Shrimp Risotto with Sweet Peas and Leeks
Ingredients:
- 5 - 6 chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
- 2 cups (uncooked) Arborio Rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 4 small leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced on the diagonal, rinsed, and drained
- 14 large shrimp, peeled and deveined – cut into large chunks
- 1 bag fresh English peas (Trader Joes carries them)
- Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- About 4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup chopped flat parsley
Directions:
Pour the chicken broth into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Keep the stock at a low simmer.
Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in large, heavy bottomed pot set over medium low heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the rice and sauté for just a few minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it is almost completely absorbed, 3 minutes. Add about 1 cup of the simmering stock to the rice. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, stirring often, until the stock is almost completely absorbed. Gradually add more broth, a cup at a time, stirring gently, until it is absorbed by the rice, before adding the next cup. After about 15 minutes, begin tasting the rice and adding the broth, in smaller increments and use only enough broth so that the rice should be firm yet cooked through in 18 to 20 minutes. When the risotto is done, it will be creamy but still firm to the bite.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan set over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté them just until they turn a bright green. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; add them to the pan, and sauté until firm and pink, about 3 minutes.
Add the peas, leeks, and shrimp to the risotto. Stir in the butter and cream. Stir in the lemon juice, a little at a time, until the risotto takes on a nice bright flavor, then, stir in the parsley. To serve, divide the risotto among individual warmed shallow bowls or dinner plates.
Serves: 4
