Citrus Risotto with Seared Garlic-Chile Shrimp

I made an amazing new dish yesterday: Citrus Risotto with Seared Garlic-Chile Shrimp. This delicious creation was featured in the March 2005 issue of Food & Wine and the minute I saw it I knew I had to try it.

This is an outrageously good dish as long as you like spicy food. If you can’t handle or just don’t like spicy food, then definitely reduce the amount of chiles used or perhaps tweak the dish and see how you like it with other herbs or something more mild.

Citrus Risotto with Seared Garlic-Chile Shrimp
Adapted from Food & Wine, March 2005
Recipe from Chef Bill Granger of Australia
Serves 4
Total Time: 1 hour

2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 small red Thai chiles, chopped (use a milder chile like jalapeno or serrano if you prefer)
6 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1.5 cups Arborio rice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1.5 teaspoons grated lemon zest
salt and freshly ground pepper
½ pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
lemon wedges, for serving

1. In a mortar, pound the garlic and chiles to make a paste. Cover and set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Cover and keep hot.

3. In a different large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the arborio rice and cook, stirring, for one minute. Gradually add the stock, one cup at a time, stirring constantly and making sure all the stock has been absorbed before adding more.



The original recipe says this will take 25 minutes, but my rice took 40 minutes to completely soak up the stock. The risotto is done when the grains are tender and the sauce is creamy. Remove risotto from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and pepper and cover. Here’s how mine looked at this stage:



4. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat until the shrimp are almost pink throughout, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic-chile paste and cook, stirring, for one minute. Stir in the parsley.



5. Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with the shrimp. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.



Honestly, you must try this dish if these kinds of flavors appeal to you. It is so, so good. The citrus risotto is creamy and rich, but the lemon juice and zest also provide it with a clean, fresh edge that prevents it from being too heavy. The shrimp practically burst with flavor in your mouth. While not for the spice-shy, the garlic-chile paste on the shrimp is wonderful. The combination of mellow, rich risotto and spicy shrimp works so well together. I love this recipe!

If you’re a regular reader, you know that I often try and share recipes that can be done quickly and easily. While this dish is easy to make, it should be noted that 40 minutes of constant risotto stirring is something that needs to be planned in to your schedule. (I did it while our Lima Bean was napping.) The effort is absolutely worth it though.

Next time At Our Table: I'm in the mood for ginger