Risotto is always a good idea. Just like pasta, the creamy Italian rice dish is quite versatile. In the colder months, I love risotto with earthy flavors such as mushrooms, pumpkin and sage, and come the spring and summer, lighter variations made with seasonal veggies and seafood have my preference. One of my favorite risottos to make in the springtime is with peas, juicy shrimp and plenty of aromatic dill, freshly chopped and stirred in right at the end.
Though today certainly does not feel like spring here in the Netherlands (gray, cold and rain on the forecast for the entire week *sigh*), I am sharing the recipe nonetheless. After all, who said you can’t have spring on your plate?
Enjoy!
Risotto with Shrimp & Peas
Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
knob of butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
350g arborio rice (risotto rice)
salt and pepper
1.5 liters of hot chicken stock
200g green peas (cooked)
250g jumbo shrimp
20g butter
1 bunch of dill, chopped
Heat oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed pan, and let the onion and garlic gently sweat for 3 minutes. Then, turn the heat up, and add the rice with a little salt and pepper. Stir the rice for a minute or so, making sure all the grains are coated with a layer of fat. Add 100 ml of the stock, reduce the heat and continue stirring until all the liquid is absorbed by the rice. Add the remaining stock in small amounts and stirring continuously. Add more stock only when the last bit is completely absorbed by the rice. You probably do not need all the stock. Test a few grains of rice after about 15 minutes, but usually it takes 20 minutes before the rice is just right; soft but with a little bite (al dente). If that is not the case, continue to add more stock and stir. Taste the rice again after a few minutes. Once cooked, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peas, shrimp, butter and most of the dill. Put the lid on the pan and allow to rest for 4 minutes. Serve the risotto, and garnish with the remaining dill.