King Prawns and Tomato Risotto

If you are not having a traditional Turkey Christmas meal a prawn risotto could make a good Italian first course or “primo”. This could be followed by more fish or shellfish as a main course. In Italy we do love having fish for Christmas.

Whenever I go to Italy I make the most and always end up in my local fish restaurant. I cannot resist a big tray of shellfish!

I found these prawns at the local farmers market and I treated my family to a creamy and tasty risotto. I only had a couple of prawns myself as my children managed to get most of them (as usual)!

I stopped buying ready cooked and ready shelled prawns from supermarkets some time ago. They are often old and taste rubbery. So when the occasion comes and I find fresh prawns on the market I go for it and they almost always have some taste at least.

Better have something rarely but tasty.

• Prep Time : 25 minutes
• Cook Time : 25 minutes

Ingredients

• rice for risotto – 350 g
• king prawns – 20
• chopped parsley – 2 tbsp
• white wine – a drop
• salt and pepper
• vegetable stock cube – 1
• tomato sauce – 3 tbsp
• garlic cloves – 2
• butter – a knob
• olive oil

Instructions

Shell and clean the prawns

Remove the bowels which are that black line you will see on the belly of the prawns. This has a bitter taste

Stir fry the garlic with 3 tbsp of olive oil, then add the rice and toast it for a few minutes on a high heat whilst stirring all the time

Add some hot water, the chopped parsley, the stock cube, salt and pepper and the tomato sauce. Keep stirring and topping it up with hot water when it dries out

In the last 2 minutes add the king prawns. Then switch off the gas and add a knob of butter and stir it all in.

Serve immediately.

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