When trying to decide what to make with a beautiful bag of shrimp I had, I came across this recipe from one of my kitchenista heroes, Ree Drummond aka The Pioneer Woman.
Risotto gets a bad rap for being difficult, but it really isn’t, and it doesn’t even take that long.
And oh how the fresh lemon juice and zest in this recipe combined with the fresh basil gives this recipe such a light, Springy, refreshing twist.
Here is the recipe as I slightly adapted from Ree:
Lemon Basil Shrimp Risotto
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1-1/2 pound Large Shrimp
1 Onion, Diced
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 cups Arborio Rice
2 cups Dry White Wine
4-5 cups Chicken (or Vegetable) Broth
1 Lemon
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Black Pepper
2 Tbsp Half & Half Cream
1/2 – 3/4 cup chopped fresh Basil Leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Directions:
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes until opaque in the middle.
Remove shrimp to a cutting board, chop into bite-sized chunks, and set aside.
Add the onion and garlic to the skillet that still has the butter and olive oil in, and cook for 2 – 3 minutes over medium-high heat or until onion starts to turn translucent.
Add dry Arborio rice to the pan and stir for a couple minutes.
Pour in 1 cup of wine and stir gently, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid. Add second cup of wine and do same. After the wine is absorbed, begin adding broth 1/2 cup to 1 cup at a time, allowing the rice to cook and absorb the liquid each time. Stir occasionally as you go, and add the salt and pepper during one of the broth additions. After 4 cups of broth have been absorbed, taste the rice. It should have a slight bite, but if it seems undercooked, add additional broth and cook it until it absorbs until the risotto is the perfect doneness.
Zest and juice the lemon and add both the zest and the juice to the risotto toward the end of cooking. Stir in the half and half cream, the chopped basil, and serve immediately with extra lemon zest and Parmesan cheese on top.
This recipe would also taste delicious with chicken breast substituted for the shrimp. I think it could also be great adapted as a vegetarian dish using your favorite vegetables. I could imagine it with some broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, or maybe even some yummy roasted butternut squash.
This is a very versatile recipe that could become a staple in your dinner repertoire. Hope you’ll give it a try.
Cheers and Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 