Ingredients

• 400 grams frozen shrimp, thawed

• 3½ cups unsalted stock

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 large celery stalks, finely chopped

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 cup arborio rice (dry weight)

• ½ cup dry white wine

• ½ cup Parmesan petals or freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• Salt to taste

This recipe serves 2 rather generously.

Method

1. Bring stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. As soon as the stock begins to boil, reduce the heat so it remains steaming, but is no longer simmering.

2. Heat approximately ½ tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with salt and pan fry in batches until just cooked through. Remove shrimp and set aside. Add more butter with subsequent batches as required.

3. Add remaining butter to the same saucepan that was used to cook the shrimp. Add rice, stir to coat, and give it a moment to lightly toast. Add onion, garlic, and celery. Cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with a pinch or two of salt.

4. Stir ½ cup of the hot stock and a splash of wine into the rice. Deglaze the pan and stir frequently, until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue to cook on medium-low heat, adding stock in ½ cup increments followed by a splash of wine, and stirring after each addition until most of the liquid is absorbed. I typically add liquid every 5 minutes, and the risotto is the texture I like after 30 minutes of cooking. The risotto should be creamy and just tender.

5. Turn off heat, stir in parmesan and shrimp, and adjust salt to taste.

6. Serve immediately. Buon appetito!

Notes

• Sometimes I just use water if I don’t have stock and the risotto still turns out great.

• You can substitute many of the ingredients as you wish:

  • Sometimes I use peas instead of celery. If I use peas, I boil them separately and add them at the end with the parmesan and shrimp.

  • I've also used salmon or scallops (as pictured) instead of shrimp. In that case, I bake the salmon or pan fry the scallops separately and add it to the top of the cooked risotto instead of incorporating it with the rice.

  • If you like mushrooms, that's usually a nice ingredient to include in risotto.

  • Saffron would also be amazing in this (Risotto alla Milanese).