SHRIMP & RISOTTO

If you love shrimp and risotto, you will love this recipe. Serve with a green salad for a complete meal.

Lee's Kitchen Tips:

I always use plastic cutting boards for uncooked seafood and meats and a wooden cutting board for vegetables. Although the shrimp are cooked, they will be oily and can soak into a wooden cutting board. Plastic cutting boards can be scrubbed with soap and can also be washed in your dishwasher.

4 T unsalted butter, divided

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 yellow onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

½ t red pepper flakes

½ t saffron, optional

1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

4 cups chicken broth, heated

1 lemon, zested and juiced

½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

¼ cup minced Italian parsley

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.

Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper.

Cook, while stirring, until shrimp are pink, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the shrimp to a plastic cutting board and let cool.

Lower the heat to medium and add the olive oil to the skillet.

Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, while stirring.

Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and saffron, if using, and cook another minute.

Add the rice and cook a few seconds, then add the wine and cook until the wine is almost absorbed, stirring often about 2 minutes.

Add one ladle of the chicken broth and cook, stirring often, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add another ladle of the chicken broth and cook, while stirring, another 3 to 4 minutes.

Keep adding the chicken broth a little at a time, while stirring, until all of the broth is gone and rice is al dente, about 20 minutes.

Add the lemon zest and juice and cook another 2 minutes.

Coarsely chop the shrimp and add to the risotto along with the butter and heat through.

Add the grated cheese and most of the parsley and stir.

Spoon into warm pasta bowls and sprinkle with the rest of the parsley and serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 4