Over the past few weeks, I have been going through the archives of my draft file. This is where I place my recipes and pictures prior to posting them on the website. I have decided that I am going to purging these recipes. If I am going to use them, you will see them in the next few days, otherwise they will sadly fall into delete.
The first one I came across was Emeril's Ruby Red Shrimp Risotto with English Peas, Basil Lemon and Pecorino. When we made this dish, not only was it good to eat but it became one of my pictures in the Friends Food Family logo. Sadly, it got caught amongst the cookie recipes of Christmas and never made its way out.
As I have written before, risotto is a basic staple at our house. I would say once every other week we enjoy risotto for dinner and usually a few leftovers for lunch. It's one of those staples that you can mix with anything. The shrimp and peas with the lemon zest made for a refreshing flavorful combination. The creaminess to the dish was enhanced with the cream and Pecorino cheese.
This was a delicious choice for dnner with a few additional ingredients compared to our basic risotto dishes but well worth trying!
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 cup shrimp stock, chicken stock or water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup shelled English peas (we used frozen baby peas)
- 1 pound ruby red shrimp, shelled and deveined (we used medium sized shrimp)
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for garnishing if desired
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
Preparation:
Heat the stock in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a bare simmer. Set a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and butter to the pan. Once the butter is melted, add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring often until soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the Arborio rice to the pan and toast, stirring occasionally, until slightly nutty in aroma and lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper. Add the wine to the pan and cook until nearly evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups of the stock as well as the peas, and cook, stirring continuously, until the rice has absorbed the stock. Add another 1 1/2 cups of the stock, still continuing to stir constantly, and cook until the rice has absorbed the liquid, about 8 to 9 minutes. Add the remainder of the stock to the pan and cook, again stirring continuously until the rice has absorbed the liquid, about 8 to 9 minutes longer. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the shrimp and lemon zest. Once the risotto is cooked, add the heavy cream, and Pecorino Romano and fold gently to combine. Serve immediately, garnished with basil and more Pecorino Romano, if desired