Prawn & Pea Risotto
with Basil & Mint

Summary

Serves 6

Nutritional Info

None available

Recipe Source

Jamie Oliver
The Return of The Naked Chef

Ingredients

2 pints stock (chicken, fish or vegetable)
1tbsp olive oil
3 shallots , finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Half a head of celery, finely chopped
400g risotto rice
2 wine glasses of dry white wine
Maldon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
70g butter

3 good handfuls of fresh peas, podded
1 knob of butter
455g raw prawns, peeled
1 handful of fresh basil, chopped
Half a handful of fresh mint, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil

Method

Heat the stock. In a separate pan, heat the olive oil, add the shallots, garlic and celery, and fry slowly for about 4mins. When the vegetables have softened, add the rice and turn up the heat. The rice will now begin to fry, so keep stirring it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent. Add the wine and keep stirring.

Once the 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 ladlefuls of stock, stirring and almost massaging the creamy starch from the rice, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next - this will take about 15mins.

Meanwhile, fry half the peas in a good knob of butter and a little stock. Cook until tender and mash. Carry on adding stock to the rice until it is soft but with a slight bite. Don't forget to check the seasoning carefully. Add the pea mash, prawns and remaining peas to the rice. Simmer for 2mins.

Remove from the heat and add the butter, fresh herbs and lemon juice. Stir gently and serve immediately. Drizzle with really nice peppery extra virgin olive oil.