Today I made my first pot of risotto. I've cooked many things before, but I wanted to wait until all conditions felt just right to try my hand at something more complicated than my usual go-to's: stir fry with oyster sauce, spaghetti bolognese, bulgogi. Today, things felt right. I had 18 nice plump shrimp twiddling their thumbs in my refrigerator, prize-winning Caruso tomatoes from the farmer's market, and a small tub of very fresh fresh mozzarella. Okay, so there wasn't really the spontaneity that I had earlier implied. Yesterday, I felt that the next day, today, would be a good day to try making risotto. I slept like a baby, with dreams of the imminent mission.Making risotto is a lot easier if you have a boyfriend with strong arms. My boyfriend's arm strength was put to the test twice today, in fact. Test #1: kayaking. Every 3 minutes or so, the muscles in my arms would get very melty around my bones, and David would have to make up for my girlish incompetence. Test #2: stirring the risotto. For about 25 minutes, David ladled hot chicken+vegetable (I did a 2:1 chicken:vegetable broth ratio) into the pot of would-be risotto, stirred it vigorously (I didn't actually know what level of vigor would be appropriate, so I decided to order a very vigorous stir) until all of the broth was absorbed, ladled more broth in, stirred it vigorously...
The result? A very, very good knock-off of Risoterria's Shrimp, Mozzarella & Tomato risotto, which they price at $16.55. I'm smiling that smile that turns up on the faces of those who have cheated - valiantly, astutely, imaginatively - the system.
Make it yourself; trust that you will be smiling the smile in just 45 short minutes.
Risotto with Garlicky Shrimp, Mozzarella, Asparagus, & Tomato (a very, very good knock-off)
This recipe will feed 4 people.
-ingredients-
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups chicken broth
1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
6 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup 1-inch pieces thin asparagus
1 1/2 cup chopped plum tomatoes
3 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into small chunks
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
-preparation-
1. Combine both broths in a medium saucepan and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cover.
2. In a pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, 3 cloves minced garlic, crushed red pepper; season with salt and pepper. Cook until shrimp have just turned pink, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to bowl with juices.
3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Add remaining minced garlic and stir 1 minute.
4. Add rice to onions; stir about 3 minutes.
5. Add wine; simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed while stirring often.
6. Add hot broth 1 cup at a time, allowing rice to absorb broth before each addition, stirring often.
7. When about 2 cups broth are left, add asparagus and chopped tomatoes.
8. When 1 cup broth left, add shrimp (with cooking juices) and last cup broth.
9. Cook, still stirring often, until rice is tender but still firm to bite and mixture is creamy overall. Once this has been achieved, add mozzarella chunks. Stir until all chunks have melted into risotto.
10. Remove from heat. Add parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons butter. Stir until cheese and butter melt.
11. Sprinkle chopped basil and drizzle a bit of extra-virgin olive oil on top of each bowl of risotto. Serve, along with additional grated parmesan.
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