I always say you get more flavour from the shells of a crustacean than you do from the meat, said Theo Randall. That is why, for this risotto, I start by making a stock based on the prawn heads and shells: it’s very easy to prepare and uses up all the parts of the shellfish that usually go to waste. The resulting risotto is intense and delicious.
Ingredients (serves 4)
For the prawn stock:
- 500g frozen shell-on prawns, defrosted
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 leek, washed and chopped
- 2 celery sticks, halved
- 6 parsley stalks
- 2 litres water
For the risotto:
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- 2 courgettes
- 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 300g tomato passata
- 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 300g carnaroli risotto rice
- 100ml dry white wine
- 50g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Remove the heads and shells from the prawns and place in a saucepan with all the prawn stock ingredients except the water. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the heads and shells turn red.
- Add the water and cook for about 20 mins to reduce by a third. Strain through a fine sieve, season with salt and keep to one side.
- Slice the prawns in half lengthways, keep to one side.
- Cut the courgettes into 1cm rounds, then stack three rounds on top of each other and cut into 1cm matchsticks.
- Put 2 tbsp of the oil, the garlic, courgettes and a pinch of salt into a small frying pan over a medium heat and cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, so the courgettes have a little colour. Add the passata and cook over a low heat for 5 mins. Check the seasoning, then set aside.
- Put the remaining oil, the celery and onion into a large, hot, straight-sided saucepan and cook for 3 mins over a medium heat. Add the rice and cook for 3 mins until the rice absorbs the oil and turns translucent. Add the wine and cook until absorbed.
- Start adding the prawn stock, ladleful by ladleful, stirring until the rice is just covered before adding more. Do this for 10 mins, then add another ladleful and check the seasoning. The risotto should be wet, almost soupy; the rice should have a good bite.
- Add the courgette and tomato sauce and stir until the risotto starts to thicken. Give the pan a shake, and when you feel the risotto is becoming emulsified, add the prawns, butter and parsley. Stir until combined, then remove from the heat, add a lid and set aside for 2-3 mins. Remove the lid, add some black pepper and give it one last vigorous stir. Serve in warmed pasta bowls.
Taken from “The Italian Table: 100 Classic Recipes Celebrating the Spirit of Italy” by Theo Randall
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