Risotto al Prosecco con Gamberi (Prosecco Risotto with Prawns)

The holiday season is a great excuse to serve delicious and elegant food. Risotto al Prosecco con gamberi is a perfect example – an irresistible, sophisticated and delectable first course The taste of risotto is enhanced by the Prosecco’s flavor and by the delicacy of the prawn. This is something I’m planning to prepare this year for Christmas. Like most authentic Italian recipes it’s deceivingly simple to prepare, but the result is extraordinarily tasty and beautiful.
Prosecco is a sparkling wine produced in Italy in the regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, using the Prosecco grapes. It is commonly enjoyed as an aperitivo with some stuzzichini. I suggest complementing this risotto with a nice flute of Prosecco (Brut) at the table.

RISOTTO AL PROSECCO CON GAMBERI (PROSECCO RISOTTO WITH PRAWNS)

Preparation time: 25 minutes       Cooking time:                               Servings: 4 large-6 small

INGREDIENTS

Risotto
1 liter (1 quart) vegetable stock
80 g (3 oz) unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
320 g (1 3/4 cups) Italian Carnaroli or Arborio rice
300 ml (1 ¼ cup) Prosecco (brut or extra-dry), at room temperature
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground white ground pepper
Prawns
16 prawns, shelled and de-veined
Olive oil (extra virgin)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm up the stock
2. In a large saucepan heat 50 g (3 tablespoons) of butter. Add the chopped shallot and sauté for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Add the rice and stir thoroughly for about 3 minutes, in order to “coat” the rice well with the butter and onions. Add 240 ml (1 cup) Prosecco and stir until completely absorbed
3. Add a soup ladle or two of the stock until the rice is just covered, and stir continuously with a wooden spoon. When the stock is almost completely absorbed, repeat this process as necessary for about 9 minutes. Add ¼ cup prosecco. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the Prosecco is completely absorbed. It depends on the rice’s cooking time, which should be clearly indicated on the package. Add the parsley and mix.
Note: The final stage of cooking is critical to perfect the texture of the dish, reached when the rice is nearly tender to the bite, but with just a hint of resistance (al dente), and the liquid you have added up to this point has been mostly absorbed (the risotto should still seem a bit “soupy”).
4. Remove the risotto from the heat. Add some butter to taste, about 30 g (2 T). At this point, keep stirring the risotto to blend in the butter. You can also add some salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Let it stand for 1 or 2 minutes.
5. While the risotto is resting, pan-fry the prawns: season the prawns with some salt and pepper and fry in a hot pan with a touch of olive oil, flipping once until pink and cooked.
6. Arrange the risotto on a serving plate and garnish with four prawns per person. – Paola