ULOG #21 - Risotto with Pan Seared Shrimp

Risotto with Pan Seared Shrimp

Here's what I made for dinner last night.

Risotto is a wonderful and versatile dish. It can be an appetizer, a side or when combined with something like pan seared shrimp it becomes a main course!

A good risotto requires a bit of attention when cooking but it is well worth the effort. Also, using a flavorful stock with kick your dish up a notch!

Here are the ingredients that I used:

1 lb 26-30 count shrimp
32 oz seafood stock
1 cup arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
4 cloves fresh garlic grated
1 bunch fresh basil minced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbs unsalted butter
smoked paprika
garlic powder
olive oil

How to do it:

Thaw the shrimp, if frozen.

Remove the shells, but save them

Pat dry the shrimp and place them is a small bowl

Add a tablespoon of olive oil, a sprinkle of garlic powder, a sprinkle of smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt to the shrimp and give it a stir. Put the bowl in the fridge to let marinate.

In a medium sauce pan add the shrimp shells and stock

Bring the stock to a low simmer for 45 - 60 minutes

When done, strain the stock into a medium bowl

Grate 4 cloves of garlic

Mince some basil

Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium sauce pan

Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds

measure a cup of rice

This is what I used

Add the rice to the sauce pan and cook for for several minutes

Measure a cup of wine

Enjoy a glass yourself

Add the cup of wine to the rice

Stir frequently until the wine is absorbed by the rice. Then begin adding the stock one half cup at a time, stirring frequently until the stock is absorbed before adding the next half cup. Begin tasting the rice when you used up most of the stock. You want it to be "al dente" and not hard. It should look and have a nice creamy consistency.

Add the basil