risotto simplified

This past weekend I had a craving for risotto and recently caught an episode of America’s Test Kitchen where Elle Simone Scott demonstrated an easier method for making shrimp risotto; constant stirring wasn’t required.
 
For the recipe you’ll need 1-pound extra-large shrimp, table salt, vegetable oil, water, whole black peppercorns, bay leaves, unsalted butter, an onion, a fennel bulb, baking soda, minced fresh garlic, Arborio rice, dry white wine, Parmesan cheese, minced fresh chives, lemon zest and lemon juice. ​

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The video provides interesting cooking facts such as how adding salt to the cleaned and deveined shrimp helps it to retain its moisture during cooking. Elle also cut the shrimp in thirds thereby ensuring shrimp in almost every bite. The other cooking tip was to make a stock using the shrimp shells which makes for a flavorful stock. Adding baking soda to sautéing fennel will increase its pH level thereby making it soft and allowing the onions to disintegrate.
 
 
In the same pot as you made the stock, is where you will start building the flavors for the risotto. It starts with sautéing the onion and fennel. Once the vegetables are softened, garlic is stirred in until fragrant. Next the rice is added and stirred until translucent. Deglaze the pan with 3/4 cup of white wine. Different than traditional risotto recipes is the fact that you add four cups of water to the pot and bring to a vigorous simmer. The vigorous simmer will imitate the stirring process. You stir twice during cooking, which can take between 16 and 18 minutes before the rice is al dente.
 
When done, a small amount of stock is added and stirred in for 3 minutes. This will help release more starch from the rice and make it creamier. Finally, turn the heat off and add the Parmesan cheese and shrimp. The carryover heat of the rice will perfectly cook the shrimp.
 
To finish, gently stir in chives (I used fresh parsley), lemon zest and juice, and two tablespoons of butter. You can also have additional lemon wedges and Parmesan cheese on the table.
 
What a fabulous recipe! I have made risotto in the past adding ladle after ladle and stirring until the liquid was absorbed. With ATK’s method, all the liquid is added at once and it’s the vigorous boil that helps create the creamy texture. The risotto was packed with lots flavor and brightness provided by lemon components. I like cutting the shrimp in thirds so more shrimp is spread through the risotto. This is a recipe that YOU should try. My husband and I loved it.

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​Shrimp Risotto corrected 9/20/2024 
From America’s Test Kitchen
Season 22 – Shrimp, Fast and Slow
 
Serves: 4 to 6
Time: 1-1/2 hours
 
Ingredients
1-pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed, shells reserved
1 ¾ teaspoons table salt, divided (1/2 tea., 1 tea. and 1/4 tea.)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
7 cups water
15 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (2 tbsp. and 2 tbsp.)
1 onion, chopped fine 
1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and chopped fine
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
¾ cup dry white wine
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
¼ cup minced fresh chives
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
 
INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut each shrimp crosswise into thirds. Toss with ½ teaspoon salt and set aside. Heat oil in Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add reserved shrimp shells and cook, stirring frequently, until shells begin to turn spotty brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Add water, peppercorns, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain stock through fine-mesh strainer set over large bowl, pressing on solids with rubber spatula to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in now-empty pot over medium heat. Add onion, fennel, baking soda, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes (volume will be dramatically reduced and onion will have mostly disintegrated). Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes.
3. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir 4 cups stock into rice mixture; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and rice is just al dente, 16 to 18 minutes, stirring twice during simmering.
4. Add ¾ cup stock to risotto and stir gently and constantly until risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and shrimp. Cover pot and let stand off heat for 5 minutes.
5. Gently stir chives, lemon zest and juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter into risotto. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, stir in additional stock to loosen texture of risotto. Serve, passing lemon wedges and extra Parmesan separately.

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