Creamy Prawn Risotto
This prawn risotto is made with a rich homemade prawn stock that utilises every last drop of flavour from the prawn heads. It's creamy, rich and the ultimate comfort meal.
Ingredients
Prawn Stock
- 1 kg prawn heads
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 fennel bulb roughly chopped
- 1 carrot roughly chopped
- 2 onions with skin on and quartered
- 4 bay leaves
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 tbsp black peppercorns
- salt
Risotto
- 1 kg prawns peeled and de-veined
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 white onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 6 cups prawn stock
- 50 g Westgold butter unsalted
- 1/2 cup pecorino romano grated
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 lemon
- fennel frond to serve
Instructions
Prawn Stock
- In a large pot on a high heat, fry the prawn heads with the olive oil for five minutes or until they turn a deep red colour. Using a potato masher, mash the prawn heads to release all their flavour and juices. You want to use every last drop of that gorgeous flavour that lives in their heads!
- Add the vegetables to the pot and fry them for 30 seconds. Add the water and bring to the boil with the lid on. Once boiling, turn the heat down and leave to simmer for 1 hour.
- Drain your stock through a mesh colander into a clean pot. Leave on a very low simmer with the lid on.
Prawn Risotto
- In a large pot on a low heat, bring the olive oil to heat. Fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until translucent and fragrant. Stir occasionally to avoid them from burning.
- In the same pot on a medium heat, add your rice and cook for 2 minutes or until the rice turns opaque. Add in the wine and keep stirring with the rice until all of the wine has been absorbed by the rice.
- One cup at a time, add in the prawn stock and stir through until all the stock is absorbed. Repeat this step 5 more times until you have used up all of your stock. Your rice will start to become plump as it continues to cook and absorb the stock. It should take roughly 25 minutes to cook. When you have added your last cup of stock you want only 80% of the liquid to be absorbed.
- Turn the heat to low and add the prawns, butter and cheese into the pot and stir through. Cook for 3 minutes or until the prawns flesh turns pink and is no longer translucent. Be careful not to overcook your prawns!
- Take your risotto off the heat, squeeze the lemon and sprinkle some fennel fronds all over. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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