Recipe: risotto with shrimps

Risotto is a typical rice dish from Northern Italy. It is important when making risotto that you use rice that can absorb a lot of moisture (such as arborio rice), so that it becomes nice and smooth.

The use of butter is not shunned in a traditional risotto. While there's nothing wrong with using a pat of butter every now and then, you can also replace it with olive oil.

Depending on the amount used, it is not necessarily more 'light', but the advantage is that olive oil mainly consists of healthy unsaturated fats. Butter, on the other hand, consists mainly of saturated fats and it is better not to take too much. Buon appetito!

Ingredients for the risotto

Main dish for 4 people

For the risotto:

• 2 tbsp mild olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 300 grams risotto rice (arborio, vialone or carnaroli)
• a dash of white wine or 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 750 ml light chicken stock + extra water
• 100 grams baby spinach
• 75 grams Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 can of good quality tomatoes (e.g. Mutti)

For the shrimp:

• 2 tbsp mild olive oil
• 400 grams wok shrimp (fresh or frozen)
• 1 chili pepper, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• a handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• a pinch of salt
• lemon juice

Preparation of the risotto with shrimps

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the shallot. Let it become translucent (not brown).
2. Add the rice and let it absorb the oil. Deglaze with wine or vinegar.
3. Now add the tomatoes (if you use whole tomatoes, chop them finely) and 2 tablespoons of hot stock.  
4. As soon as the liquid has almost evaporated, always add a tablespoon of stock to the rice. If the stock has run out and the rice is still undercooked, just use some boiling water.
5. As soon as the rice and cook until pasta is Add the Parmesan cheese (after about 20 – 25 minutes). Let stand for a few minutes with the lid on the pan.

About 5 minutes before the risotto is ready, prepare the shrimp. Make sure you have everything ready.

• Heat the olive oil in a wok. Once it is hot, add the shrimp. Add the pepper, garlic and parsley for the last minute. Season with a pinch of salt and a little lemon juice.
• Divide the risotto among four plates and place the shrimp on top.