Prawn and Pea Risotto with Basil and Mint

Prawn and Pea Risotto with Basil and Mint

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Ingredients

Instructions

STEP 1:

celery
garlic
olive
olive oil
onion
rice
shallot

Heat the stock. Then in a separate pan heat the olive oil, add the shallot or onion, celery and a pinch of salt, and sweat the vegetables for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and after another 2 minutes, when the vegetables have softened, add the rice. Turn up the heat now. At this crucial point you can’t leave the pan, and anyway, this is the best bit.

STEP 2:

STEP 3:

gin
rice

While slowly stirring, continuously, you are beginning to fry the rice. You don’t want any colour at any point (so remember, you’re in control, and if the temperature seems too high, turn it down a bit). You must keep the rice moving.

STEP 4:

STEP 5:

gin
rice
vermouth

After 2 or 3 minutes it will begin to look translucent as it absorbs all the flavours of your base (it may crackle at this point, that’s fine). Add the vermouth or wine, keeping on stirring as it hits the pan – it will smell fantastic! It will sizzle around the rice, evaporating any harsh alcohol flavours and leaving the rice with a tasty essence.

STEP 6:

STEP 7:

rice
vermouth

I must admit I’m a sucker for dry vermouth. When it cooks into the rice it seems to give it a really full but subtle flavour and leaves a wicked sweet-ness that works perfectly with the rice. White wine is lovely, probably more delicate and fresh. Try both – see what you think.

STEP 8:

STEP 9:

rice
vermouth

Once the vermouth or wine seems to have cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a pinch of salt (add small amounts of salt to taste while you are adding the stock). Turn down the heat to a highish simmer (the reason we don’t want to boil the hell out of it is because, if we do, the outside of the rice will be cooked and fluffy and the inside will be raw).

STEP 10:

STEP 11:

rice

Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring and allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take about 15 minutes. Taste the rice – is it cooked? Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. Check seasoning.

STEP 12:

STEP 13:

butter
herbs
lemon
peas

Fry half the peas in a good knob of butter and a little stock. Cook until tender and mash. Add in the fresh herbs and squeeze in the lemon juice.

STEP 14:

STEP 15:

gin
olive
olive oil

Stir and serve immediately. Drizzle with really nice peppery extra virgin olive oil.

STEP 16: