Shrimp Risotto with Homemade Stock and Cherry Tomatoes
Mr. Risotto, it’s nice to see that you’ve become acquainted with Miss Bisque [Photo credit: Alex Paternostro]
by Seth Paternostro
November 13, 2021
Neither soup nor merely starch, risotto dwells at an interstice of textural delight. Supple and smooth with a slight bite, this dish binds shrimp and stock with pearls of creamy white. From roots in France and the Italian coast, ocean flavors and orange feelings combine for a vibrant experience that will abide.
Serves 6
Total time
1 hour 45 minutes
Equipment:
cutting board, chef’s knife or cleaver, sturdy pan (preferably heavy, flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch skillet), large pot, small pan with lid, small mixing bowl, large mixing bowl or measuring cup, fine-mesh strainer, silicone spatula, measuring cups and spoons, tasting spoon, clean towels, peeler, microplane zester
Tableware:
bowls and utensils
Ingredients
Shrimp stock:
2 lb whole shrimp (head-on)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
5 cups water
1 leek, greens only
1 medium carrot
1 rib celery
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch dried thyme
1 dried bay leaf
1 sprig fresh parsley
1½ tsps white wine vinegar, or as needed
¼ tsp black pepper, plus as needed
Salt, as needed
Risotto:
Shrimp stock and fabricated shrimp from above
1½ cups carnaroli or arborio rice
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ large shallot
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup cherry tomatoes
Salt, as needed
Black pepper, as needed
White wine vinegar, as needed
Parmigiano reggiano, plus as needed
Instructions
Set out all equipment, tableware, and ingredients. Wash the vegetables.
To make the stock, devein the shrimp, then set aside the heads and shells. Refrigerate the flesh for cooking in the risotto later.
Heat a large pot over medium, then add the extra virgin olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted and begun to sizzle, stir in the shells and heads, and cook until bright orange. Pour in the water, and bring to a slow simmer.
Meanwhile, peel the carrot, then roughly chop it, along with the leek greens and celery. Peel, and smash 1 garlic clove, then add to the pot with the chopped vegetables, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, and black pepper.
Very gently simmer the stock with a cover ajar for 1 hour.
While the stock is simmering, mince the shallot, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Lightly salt the tomatoes in a small bowl.
Heat a small pan with no oil over medium-low heat, add the unpeeled garlic clove, cover, and slowly roast until completely softened, about 15 minutes. Turn down the heat to low if the garlic skin begins blackening too fast. When done, peel, cut off the root end, and smash into a paste with the flat of a knife.
After the stock has simmered for an hour, pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing on the solids with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids, and rinse out the strainer.
Stir the smashed roasted garlic paste into the stock. Add the white wine vinegar and a generous pinch of salt. Taste, and adjust with salt, pepper, and vinegar as needed.
Place the rice in the strainer, then dip it in the stock, and vigorously shake to loosen some of the surface starch. Lift the strainer out, and set aside to dry the rice.
To prepare the risotto, heat a sturdy pan over medium. Add the extra virgin olive oil and butter, then sauté the minced shallot until softened and just beginning to brown.
Stir in the tomato paste, and cook until the color changes from deep red to a pale orange.
Add the rice to the pan, and toss until the grains are slightly toasted and sizzle in the fat, which will take at least a few minutes.
Pour in the stock 1 cup at a time, stirring after each addition and waiting until the rice has fully absorbed the liquid before adding more. After about 20 minutes of this process, the mixture should look creamy, while the rice should maintain a slight bite in the center.
Add the tomatoes, and cook for 1 minute. Lightly salt the shrimp, then stir them into the risotto. When they have turned opaque, turn off the heat, grate in ¼ cup parmigiano reggiano, stir, taste, and adjust with salt, parmigiano reggiano, white wine vinegar, and black pepper if needed.
Scoop into individual bowls, and garnish with more parmigiano reggiano and black pepper.
Enjoy this flavorful risotto whenever you buy fresh shrimp, then make Shrimp Arancini!
NUTRITION FACTS:
Calories 829 Total Fat 17.7g (23%) Saturated Fat 6.7g (33%) Cholesterol 175mg (58%) Sodium 208mg (9%) Total Carbohydrate 140.6g (51%) Dietary Fiber 1g (4%) Total Sugars 2.4g Protein 30.4g Vitamin D 0mcg (0%) Calcium 41mg (3%) Iron 14mg (77%) Potassium 99mg (2%) - Note: Please read our Nutrition Disclaimer.
Seth Paternostro is a writer and recipe developer based in Chicago. He is a co-founder of Our American Cuisine and graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in East Asian Studies. You can learn more about him here.
Cooked the dish? Please share it with friends!
Tag us on Instagram @ouramericancuisine, join our mailing list, and follow us on social media for more of our favorite recipes, essays, and more!