A simple risotto with shrimp can be very nice, and is indeed eminently suited to a romantic occasion. For example Valentine's Day. However, if it's a little cooler out, a few beans added to the scampi and rice make for an elegant dish that is also quite comforting. Perfect, for example, for Christmas Eve. To serve 4:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours,
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) short-grained rice, e.g. Arborio or Vialone Nano
- 1/4 pound (100 g) dried cranberry beans (borlotti)
- 2 pounds (900 g) fresh whole scampi (use prawns if you must)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano
- A carrot, half diced and half minced
- A rib of celery, half diced and half minced
- A leek, half diced and half minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Soak the beans overnight in cold water. Drain them, and put them in a pot with water to cover by a couple of inches, bring the pot to a boil, and simmer them for an hour or until just shy of being done.Wash the scampi, shell them, and set them aside. Use a meat pounder to crush the claws and heads, and put the shells in a pot with the diced vegetables and 2 tablespoons of butter. Simmer the mixture briefly, and then add 3 pints (1.5 l) hot water. Salt the broth to taste, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook the broth for a half hour. Filter it through a strainer, squashing down on the scampi to extract as much flavor as possible.
Blend a third of the beans and put them in a pot with all but 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter, together with the minced vegetables and a third of the scampi broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, add the rice, and cook, stirring gently lest the rice stick to the bottom of the pot, and adding more liquid as necessary.
A few minutes before the rice is done, add the reserved beans and the bodies of the shrimp; check seasoning.
When the rice reaches the proper al dente texture, stir in the grated cheese and the last of the butter. Mix well, turn off the burner, let the rice rest for a couple of minutes, and the risotto is done. Serve it with a crisp white wine, for example a Chardonnay from Friuli's Collio district, or, if you'd rather, a sparkling white along the lines of a Lugana or a Gavi.
