Lemony Shrimp Risotto

There are two problems I sometimes face when sitting down to write a blog post. The first is a lack of recipes to share, or a lack of a photograph to go with a new recipe. I just feel that I can't share a recipe without some sort of visual aid. I think it makes the post more inviting and hopefully encourages people to make something new. The other problem I face is writer's block. I just simply cannot get myself to write anything, even if I have a ton of new recipes to share. It's not that I don't want to share them - because I definitely do - but I can't seem to figure out how to do so. This past week has been one of those times. I have several recipes, with photos, that I want to share with you, but I've been unable to put anything into writing. It's not like I usually have anything particularly profound to say, but I try to have some sort of story to go along with the food. I could just write out a recipe, and I'm sure there are plenty of people who never actually read food blogs, they just scroll down to the recipe (yes, I too am guilty of this on occasion). But for those people who do want to read something, I like to oblige. So when I have nothing to say, I end up not posting for awhile.

So instead of trying to come up with something clever for today's post, I decided to simply share with you my dilemma. I'm sure anyone who's ever written anything - a journal, a school paper, a book - has experienced some sort of writer's block, so hopefully you can forgive my lack of recent posts. I will do my best to overcome this block and share with you some new recipes. This first one is pretty simple, despite the sometimes scary thought of making risotto. Yes, I do recommend stirring it as much as possible while it cooks. But don't worry if you have to step away for a minute to do something else. Just make sure there's always plenty of liquid in the pot so that the rice doesn't dry out or potentially burn. The lemon zest and juice add a great brightness to this dish while the creaminess of the risotto makes it luxurious and comforting. This is definitely a dish that can transfer from winter to spring with no problem. To make it even more spring-like, stir in some sliced asparagus spears a minute or two before adding the shrimp and you've got a fresh dish, all in one pan.

Lemony Shrimp Risotto (serves 2, with leftovers)

• 4-5 cups low-sodium chicken stock (or combination of stock and water)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 6-8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 3 tsp lemon zest & 2 tbsp juice, from 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped

In a small saucepan, heat chicken stock over medium-low heat.
In a large pan, preferably with straight sides, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Saute chopped onions until soft, about 8 minutes.
Add mushrooms and saute until soft and lightly browned, about 6 minutes.
Season with garlic, salt and pepper and cook for another minute.
Add rice and cook for another couple of minutes to toast rice.
Add lemon zest and deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up any bits from the bottom.
Once the wine is almost absorbed, add about 3/4 cup of stock.
Stir mixture until stock is almost absorbed and then add more stock, by about 1/2 cup at a time.
Continue stirring and adding stock until rice is tender and creamy, about 18-20 minutes cooking time.
When rice is just about tender, stir in shrimp, cooking until shrimp is fully pink, about 5 minutes.
Remove pan from the heat and stir in chopped tarragon and lemon juice. Add a pinch more salt and pepper, if needed.
Cover pan and let sit for 2 minutes before serving.

For a printable recipe click here


Lemony Shrimp Risotto

Mushroom Risotto

Although Gavin and I entered our marriage equally excited and committed, I have to admit that a lot of our wedding presents were for me. Kitchen Aid stand mixers, Cuisinart food processors, and colored mixing bowls don't really whip him into a frenzy of excitement. I, on the other hand, felt like a little kid on Christmas opening each amazing kitchen appliance and utensil. I know that most people put kitchen, bed and bathroom supplies on their wedding registries but I doubt there are many people who get as excited about the kitchen stuff as I do. I have been waiting for certain kitchen gadgets for months, holding out hope that someone would be kind enough to get it for me for the wedding.

Although it has been a couple of weeks since the wedding, I am slowly incorporating these new items into my kitchen in order to not get overwhelmed and start cooking every recipe I've ever come across in one day. But even more than the joy that every new kitchen item brings me, I am even more excited by how motivated they have all made me to cook. There's something about brand new toys that makes work seem a lot more like play than toil. I'm sure guys (and some girls) feel this way about a new tool kit or new car equipment; but for me, it's all about the kitchen toys. So I'm taking this motivation and running with it. I have been cooking up a storm so I now have a backlog of recipes that I'm really excited to share with everyone.

One dish that I have sort of skirted around but wanted to make is a classic risotto. I have made a couple of "mock" risottos using different types of grains--one with quinoa and one with bulgur. But classic risotto is made with arborio rice and, when made correctly, cannot compare to anything else. It's soft without being mushy, creamy without actually using cream, and brimming with all of the flavors that went into making the dish. The process is somewhat labor-intensive as it really needs to be stirred almost constantly during the cooking process. Fortunately, risotto is hearty enough to serve as a meal in its own right. Toss a fresh salad to go along side and you've got a great meal. Or if you want to use it as a side dish, just go with other things that don't take too much babysitting to make. But don't be intimidated by the process. It just involves a lot of stirring and is definitely worth it. If you're not a huge fan of mushrooms, they can be left out to just make a plain risotto. And even if you haven't received any new kitchen toys recently, hopefully something (this blog perhaps?) will motivate you to get cooking. The results are definitely worth the effort!

Mushroom Risotto (4 side dish servings)

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, diced
• 6-8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced (shiitake, crimini, or portobello)
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 5-6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

In a saucepan, heat the stock over low heat on a back burner.
In a large pan, one with straight sides, heat oil over medium low heat.
Saute shallots for 1 minute; add mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes to soften mushrooms.
Season with thyme, salt and pepper; saute another minute.
Add arborio rice and stir to combine.
Pour in white wine, stirring until the wine has reduced by half.
Incorporate the stock 1 cup (or less) at a time; stirring constantly as the stock is absorbed.
Add the next cup of stock when most of the liquid is absorbed but before the pan is dry.
Continue adding stock until the rice is very soft but not mushy (start checking after about 4 cups of stock by tasting a piece of rice).
When the rice is fully cooked with a little liquid left, remove the pan from the heat.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese and cover the pan. Let the risotto sit for a couple of minutes.
Check the seasoning and serve garnished with a sprinkle of Parmesan.

For a printable recipe click here


Mushroom Risotto