The Gourmet Review

Enjoy this easy to make “Risotto al Limone con Scampi,” courtesy of Villa d’Este’s Executive Chef Luciano Parolari – otherwise known in Italy as the “King of Risotto.”

Olympic gold medal ice-skating champion, Kristi Yamaguchi, and her hockey star husband, Brett Hedican, honeymooned at Villa d’Este. They loved all the seafood risottos, but loved this one the best.

SERVES  4 to 6

Shrimp Sauce

 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup dry white wire

DIRECTIONS

6 cups fish stock

5 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot or spring onion

2 cups Carnaroli rice  (or substitute Arborio rice)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon minced fiat-leaf parsley

Juice of ½ lemon

Grated rind of ½ lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Caramelized Lemon Rind

Julienned rind of 1 lemon

1 cup white wine

2 tablespoons sugar

DIRECTIONS

To make the shrimp sauce, warm the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and firm. Add the wine and stir until the liquid is absorbed.

Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, then reduce the heat and keep at a bare simmer.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until every grain is coated with butter.

Add 1 cup of the stock and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock, about ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently and making sure all the liquid is absorbed before adding more stock. Halfway through cooking the risotto, add half the shrimp and their sauce. Reserve the remaining shrimp as a garnish. Continue adding the stock. Cook until the rice is just tender and creamy but still al dente, 15 to 20 minutes.  You may have extra stock.

While the risotto is cooking, make the caramelized lemon rind. Place the julienned lemon rind in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper towels. Warm the wine and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the lemon rind and cook, stirring, until caramelized, about l0 minutes.

When the risotto is done, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, the Parmesan cheese, parsley, lemon juice, grated lemon rind, and salt and pepper to taste. Let the risotto rest for a minute or two and serve topped with the remaining shrimp and the caramelized lemon rind.

– The Gourmet Review