What Makes This Recipe So Good
Shrimp risotto is a beautiful, elegant dish that’ll impress anyone you make it for. It’s easier to make than it seems, though, so don’t be intimidated! This dish takes my recipe for THE best ever risotto and adds delicious shrimp for a boost of protein and nutrients. The shrimp is perfectly cooked, just tender – not rubbery or tough. A quick toss in lemon juice brings out the natural flavor of the shrimp without overpowering. The key ingredient is patience. Risotto takes a little time, but believe me, it’s worth it! The low-and-slow cooking method is what makes the dish so incredibly creamy. Don’t give in to the temptation to rush!
Key Ingredients
Shrimp – Frozen, wild caught shrimp is the best choice for any shrimp recipe, but especially shrimp risotto. And yes, you read that right. Frozen. Unless you live somewhere to get actual fresh shrimp straight from the boats, frozen shrimp will actually be better than fresh shrimp. Why? Because fresh shrimp is frozen between the boat and your grocery store. Once it reaches your store, it’s thawed and set out in the cases and boats you see it in when you’re shopping. Frozen shrimp is frozen off the boat and stays frozen until you buy it and bring it home.Arborio Rice – This short-grain, Italian rice is known for its high starch content and is a go-to rice for risotto. All that starch is what makes risotto so amazingly thick and creamy. If you don’t have arborio rice, you’ll want to use another, similarly short-grain/high-starch rice. Some rices will be labeled “risotto rice”, and those would be fine. Sushi rice would also work in a pinch. Avoid long grain rices, since they won’t give you the texture and consistency you need for shrimp risotto.Saffron Threads – This is actually an optional ingredient, BUT I highly recommend using it! Saffron adds this amazingly rich flavor and golden color to the shrimp risotto. This recipe only calls for a pinch of saffron threads, which, depending on your preferences, could be anywhere from 5 threads to 50. Since saffron can be pretty strong, I would play it safe and use less than you think you’ll need/want.
Chef’s Tips
Don’t overcook the rice. Everything should be creamy, yes, but not mushy. The arborio rice will ideally have a little bit of chewy texture. Taste the risotto in the last 5-10 minutes until you’ve got a barely-softer-than-al-dente texture. Don’t rinse the rice before cooking! Rinsing it removes the starch from the outside of the grains, and you need that starch to get the right consistency. What to pair with shrimp risotto? I like to offset the creaminess of the rice with a crisp green vegetable, like asparagus, broccoli, or green peas.
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