The combination of sweet prawns and minted peas are made for a creamy risotto
I like risotto so much because it is so adaptable, it’s a dish that makes a perfect midweek comforting dinner, but it is equally at home being the dinner party star or a perfect starter that is bound to impress. Then you have so many choices of ingredients to go with the rice. One such combination is my Prawn and pea risotto for all the above, and it holds a special place in my heart as it was the first meal I ever cooked for my wife when trying to impress her on an early date.
It worked as we have been married for 20 years, and I still cook her my favourite risotto combination. In truth, if you asked my wife to name her favourite, she would possibly say Roasted butternut squash, but I’m sure my Prawn and pea risotto would come second.
Anyhow, as with all risotto, the key elements are the stock and the base vegetables and rice. Don’t get me wrong, the prawns and peas contribute and go so well together. I always use frozen peas as they work so well, but feel free to add fresh peas. Adding a sprinkle of mint at the end adds freshness and a different dimension. I use raw prawn’s but if using cooked prawns, add them at the last minute; otherwise, they will overcook and go rubbery.
Let’s talk stock. The better the stock, the better the risotto. If you are using unpeeled prawns, use the shells for the stock, or boil up any vegetables to make a fresh stock. I understand that if time is short, then stock cubes will work.
I know there is an ongoing parmesan cheese debate in fish risotto, so of the classic Italian chefs would be horrified with the use of parmesan in the final part of finishing a fish risotto (called the mantecatura in Italy), however like many things it is open to individual preference and I have tried with or without so I will leave that one up to you.
As I mentioned, the mantecatura is the final process of adding cold butter and parmesan to the risotto before serving. The butter and cheese should be quickly beaten into the rice, giving the risotto creamy, rich and emulsified, the perfect consistency (all’onda)
Please give this recipe a try. You don’t have to be trying to impress anybody to enjoy the combination of prawns and peas in creamy risotto rice.
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Prawn and Pea risotto
Print RecipeIngredients
- 225g Uncooked Prawns
- 1 cup of Frozen peas
- 300g Arborio rice
- i small onion or two shallots finely chopped
- 1 stick of celery finely chopped
- 1.25 litres of fish or vegetable stock
- 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 150ml of white wine
- extra virgin olive oil
- 2 knobs of butter (or more)
- 60g Freshley grated parmsan (optional)
- salt and pepper to season
- Handful of chopped mint (dried will also work)
Instructions
Start by peeling and finely chopping the onion, and also chop the celery and garlic.
Freshly grate the parmesan for later in the process (if you are including it)
In a pan, heat the oil and one small knob of butter over low heat; add the onions, garlic and celery, and fry gently for about 5 minutes or until softened but not coloured over a medium heat.
Add the rice and turn up the heat – the rice will begin to fry lightly, so keep stirring it. After 1 minute, it will look slightly translucent. Add the white wine; keep going — it will smell fantastic. Any harsh alcohol flavours will evaporate, leaving the rice with a tasty essence of wine.
Once the vermouth or wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a good pinch of sea salt. Turn the heat down to a simmer so the rice doesn’t cook too quickly on the outside.
Whilst the rice is cooking I like to partly cook the frozen peas partly, I usually gently on a low heat add a little knob of better to a pan and add the peas, simmer for a few minutes and turn off the heat.
Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring and almost massaging the creamy starch out of the rice, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15 minutes. Taste the rice — is it cooked? Add stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. Don’t forget to check the seasoning carefully. Add boiling water if you run out of stock before the rice is cooked.
When the rice is nearly done, add the prawns and peas, the translucent prawns will turn pink with the heat, and then they are cooked.
Remove the pan from the heat, add a knob of butter and the Parmesan (if you are using it)gently beat into the rice keeping then prawns intact, then stir well and let rest for a minute or so with the lid of the pan on. As we mentioned earlier, this is the final but essential part of the process. This is the mantecatura phase, and most Italians will tell you this is the most important part of the process.
Finely add the chopped mint, and you are ready to serve.
