Recipe: Lemon & Prawn Risotto

You don’t need to go to a restaurant to enjoy a risotto. If you follow this recipe, you’ll be sure to impress your friends and family. All you need is a bit of patience. It’s well worth the effort!

INGREDIENTS

For the Risotto:

• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• a large knob of butter
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups of Risotto rice
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• 1 - 1.5 litres of chicken stock - make sure to get stock that is low in salt
• the zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup of parmesan cheese
• an extra knob of butter
• cracked black pepper, to taste

For the Chilli Prawns:

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 red chillies, seeded and chopped
• a glug of olive oil
• about 10 - 15 prawns, shelled and deveined
• a small handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

METHOD

1. Pour the chicken stock into a pot, place it on a medium heat and bring to a very gentle simmer.

2. Leave the stock on a low heat to keep it warm, while you make the risotto.

3. Heat up a heavy-based saucepan.

4. Add a glug of olive oil, a knob of butter and then add the red onion.

5. Reduce the heat and gently sauté until translucent and soft, then stir through the garlic and fry for another minute.

6. Add the risotto rice, and stir to soak up the butter.

7. Keep stirring and cook for about two minutes.

8. Pour in the white wine, and once it’s cooked off, it’s time to start ladling in the chicken stock.

9. Add one ladle at a time every time the rice has absorbed the stock.

10. Every time you add a ladle of stock, stir it through the risotto and allow it to cook off.

11. This process of adding stock and stirring should take about 20 minutes.

12. You want the risotto to still be al dente and not mushy, so be careful to not overcook it.

13. Once the risotto is cooked through, stir through the extra butter, parmesan cheese and lemon zest.

14. Put the lid on and leave to steam for about two minutes.

15. Remove from the heat and taste. Chances are you won’t need to add salt because of the chicken stock, but do add loads of cracked black pepper.

16. Keep the risotto warm while you make the prawns.

Chilli Prawns

1. Season the prawns with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a large pan and add a glug of olive oil.

3. Fry the prawns for two minutes or until they are opaque.

4. Stir through the garlic and chili and cook for another minute.

5. Remove from the heat and add a squeeze of lemon juice and the fresh parsley, then stir to combine.

6. Divide the risotto onto plates, arrange the prawns on top and serve with lemon wedges on the side.  

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