Prawn And Pea Risotto With Basil And Mint Food

PRAWN AND PEA RISOTTO WITH BASIL AND MINT

Steps:

• Cook peas in boiling stock or water. Don't waste pods, you can place them in the stock after the peas are cooked to infuse their fantastic delicate flavor. Use this stock as part of the stock/water for the risotto. At the end of Stage 3 in the basic risotto recipe, add the prawns and peas and simmer for 1 minute as prawns take no time to cook. At Stage 4 of the risotto recipe throw in the fresh herbs and squeeze the lemon juice. Stir and serve immediately. Drizzle with good peppery olive oil.;
• Stage 1. Heat stock. In a separate pan heat the olive oil, add the shallots or onion, garlic and celery and slowly fry for about 3 minutes. When the vegetables have softened, add the rice, season with salt and pepper and turn up the heat. Stage 2. The rice will now begin to fry, so keep stirring it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent having absorbed all the flavors from the vegetables. Add the vermouth or wine and keep stirring -- it will smell fantastic as it sizzles around the rice. Any harsh alcohol flavors will evaporate and leave the rice with a tasty essence. Stage 3. Once the vermouth or wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a good pinch of salt. Turn down the heat to a highish simmer so the rice doesn't cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladles of stock, stirring and allowing each ladle of liquid to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15 minutes. Taste the rice -- is it cooked? Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. Don't forget to carefully check the seasoning. Stage 4. Remove from the heat and add the butter and Parmesan, if using. Stir gently. Place lid on pan and allow to sit for 2 to 3 minutes. This is the most important part of making the risotto as this is when it becomes outrageously creamy and oozy like it should be. Eat as soon as possible while the risotto retains its perfect texture.
• Yield: 6 servings

BASIL AND MINT OIL

Steps:

• In a pot bring 3 quarts salted water to a rolling boil. Place herb leaves in a strainer and lay in water for about 20 to 30 seconds. Remove from water and lay in large bowl of ice water to stop cooking and retain brilliant color. Remove any stray leaves from boiling water with a slotted spoon and add to leaves in ice water.
• Drain herbs and place on paper towels. Wring gently to dry. Place in blender. Add salt, oil and sugar and puree until mixture is very smooth.
• Pour oil though a sieve and press on solids. Discard remaining solids.
• Chill oil to store up to three days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

LEMONY PRAWN & PEA RISOTTO

Steps:

• Peel the prawns, keeping the heads and shells. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the prawn shells and heads with the sliced chilli until they have toasted and changed colour. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer.
• Bring the stock to the boil and keep on a low simmer. In a separate pan, melt half the butter over a medium heat. Stir in the onions and sweat gently for 8-10 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir the rice into the onions until completely coated in the butter, then stir continuously until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent.
• Pour in the wine and simmer until totally evaporated. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring with each addition until absorbed. Stir through the prawns and peas. Continue adding stock a ladleful at a time and stirring the rice over a low heat for 25-30 mins, until the rice is cooked al dente (with a slightly firm, starchy bite in the middle). The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy. When you draw a wooden spoon through it, there should be a wake that holds for a few moments but not longer. Cook until the prawns change colour. Stir through the chopped chilli, lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Let the risotto rest for a few mins, then serve, topped with the lemon zest.

PEA, BASIL & MINT RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring the stock to a steady simmer in a saucepan.
• Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat and add the onion and prosciutto and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the garlic and the lemon rind and cook for another minute until the garlic is golden.
• Add the rice and stir for 1 minute, making sure all the grains are well coated.
• Add the wine and stir until completely absorbed.
• Add the stock a ladle at a time, sirring frequently.
• Wait until each addition is almost completely absorbed before adding the next ladle.
• Reserve 1 ladle to add at the end.
• Half way through cooking the rice add the peas.
• After 18-20 minutes the rice should be creamy and tender but still have a little bite.
• Add remaining ladles of stock and turn off the heat.
• Stir through the herbs, cheese and juice and season to taste before serving.

SHRIMP AND PEA RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat stock.
• In a separate fry pan heat the olive oil.
• Add onion, garlic and celery and slowly fry for about 3 minutes.
• Add rice to veggies Season with s& p and turn up the heat.
• As the rice begins to fry, stir it.
• After a minute it will look slightly translucent Add your first ladle of hot stock and a 1/8 tsp.
• salt.
• Turn down the heat to a simmer.
• Keep adding ladles of stock for 15 minutes, stirring and allowing liquid to be absorbed before adding the next.
• Add stock until the rice is soft but firm Remove from the heat.
• Add butter and Parmesan Stir gently.
• Place lid on pan and allow to sit for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add shrimp and peas and simmer for 1 minute.
• S& P to taste Serve with a bit of olive oil drizzled over the top.

PEA RISOTTO

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onion and gently sweat for about 10 mins until really soft. Meanwhile, put 100g peas into a food processor with a ladleful of stock and whizz until completely puréed.
• Stir the rice into the onion, increase heat to medium and sizzle the rice for 1 min. Pour in the wine, then bubble and stir until completely absorbed. Continue cooking like this, adding a ladleful of stock at a time, and stirring continuously until the rice is tender and has a good creamy consistency - this will take 20-30 mins.
• Stir in the puréed peas, remaining peas, Parmesan and some seasoning, then turn off the heat and leave to stand for a few mins. Give the risotto a final stir, spoon into shallow bowls and top with some pea shoots and a drizzle of olive oil, if you like.

PRAWN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring 1litre/13⁄4pints water to the boil in a large pan, add 1 tbsp salt, then tip in the prawns, garlic and bay and return to the boil for 3-5 minutes until cooked, depending on the size of the prawns. Cool then shell the prawns. If they are large, you may wish to slice them, but leave smaller ones whole. Return the heads and shells to the stock and continue to boil for 20 minutes.
• Put a medium size, heavy bottomed pan with a tight fitting lid on a low heat. Tip in the olive oil and 25g/1oz of the butter, and cook the shallots or onion for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add 1 tbsp of stock to stop them colouring, if necessary.
• Stir in the rice so it absorbs all the buttery oil. When it is opaque and rustling as you stir, pour in all the wine. Keep stirring while the rice absorbs the wine - it should not evaporate into the air, so keep the heat low.
• Meanwhile, strain the stock, return to the pan, top up with water and turn up the heat. Turn up the heat under the rice, too, as you need a moderate to lively heat. Stir the rice and add stock as needed to keep a veil of water above the level of rice for 10 minutes.
• Add the prawns and tomato purée. From this point on I start to add less and less stock every time, to avoid the risk of forcing the rice to absorb too much stock. Start to taste the odd grain of rice. You want to stop cooking when it still has a tiny crunchy uncooked bit in the centre.
• Season the risotto with salt and white pepper. Take the pan off the heat, add the remaining butter and enough stock to cover the risotto by about 2.5-5cm/1-2in, you have to judge how much it will absorb. Stir well, cover and leave it to rest for 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley and serve at once.

PRAWN AND TUNA LINGUINE

Steps:

• Peel and finely slice the onions and place them in a bowl of water. Pull off the prawn heads and put just the heads into a cold frying pan with 2 tablespoons of oil and the cinnamon. Place on medium heat and, once sizzling, add the anchovies. Drain the onions and toss into the pan. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until super-soft, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water, if needed. Meanwhile, peel the prawns, run a small sharp knife down the back of each to butterfly them, then pull out and discard the vein. Steep the saffron in a splash of boiling water and the vinegar. Pound the pistachios in a pestle and mortar. And, for another Rosanna trick, finely grate a little pecorino rind, for seasoning.
• Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, chop the tuna into erratic 1-centimeter (3/8-inch) chunks, and finely chop the top, leafy half of the parsley. With 2 minutes to go on the pasta, remove the lid from the onions and turn the heat to high. Gently squash each prawn head so all the tasty juices spill out into the pan, then discard the heads and the cinnamon. Stir in half the parsley, then break the frying by adding the saffron vinegar mixture. Stir in the prawns and tuna, then use tongs to drag the pasta straight into the pan, letting a little starchy cooking water go with it. Toss over the heat for 2 minutes, loosening with a little extra cooking water, if needed. Turn the heat off, quickly toss in the grated pecorino rind and the pistachios, taste and check the seasoning, then sprinkle over the remaining parsley.