Risotto with Jumbo Shrimp & Zucchini

Risotto with Jumbo Shrimp & Zucchini Squash

Serves: 4-6 people

OBJ: TCW will be able to serve risotto as her main dish rather than on the side

Ingredients:

4 Cups reduced sodium chicken broth, or 2 cans

3 TBS unsalted butter

½ C diced red onion

2 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ C Arborio rice

¾  C dry white wine ( I use Pinot Grigio, but use what you booze)

½ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

2 medium-sized green zucchini squash, cut into ¼ inch circles then halved

2 slices of bacon, cut into ½ inch cubes

16 jumbo shrimp, cleaned and deveined

S & P, salt and pepper

Red pepper flakes

Procedures:

1.      Pour chicken broth in a small sauce pot, bring to simmer, lower heat and cover to keep hot

2.      In a large, deep sauté pan, heat 2 TBS butter over medium flame

3.      Add onion, shallot, garlic, and a pinch S & P, cook until vegetables are soft, about 5-8 minutes

4.      Add the rice and stir to coat in butter

5.      Add ½ C of wine and bring to boil, lower heat and let simmer to reduce, about 4 minutes

6.      Add ½ C of simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 4 minutes

7.      Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth ½ C at a time, stirring the whole time, making sure you only add the next ½ C after the previous ½ C  has absorbed

8.      Continue until all the broth has been absorbed and rice is tender and has a creamy consistency, about 35 minutes total

9.      Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat 2 TBS olive oil over medium heat

10.  Add bacon, garlic, shallots, and a pinch S & P and allow bacon to brown, about 8 minutes

11.  Drain about 2 TBS of oil from pan. Add ¼ C wine and bring to boil, lower and let reduce, about 5 minutes

12.  Add zucchini, keep heat on low, cover and let vegetables cook, about 10-15 minutes

13.  When risotto has about 5 more minutes (right before last addition of broth) add shrimp to zucchini sauté, up the flame to medium, stir, let cook and get pink

14.  Remove the risotto from heat after last ½ C has absorbed, stir in the parmesan cheese, 1 TBS butter, about ½ tsp pepper

15.  Add in the entire zucchini/bacon sauté, stir well and serve

****This recipe was truly outstanding; I couldn’t get over how delicious it was. The risotto was so creamy I had trouble refraining myself from eating one too many servings. The zucchini still had crispiness which paired well with the creamy consistency of the rice. The bacon flavor was in the background but still provided a great depth of flavor.  Just amazing, you must try!*