Serves 6 Shrimp, Lemon, and Tarragon Risotto
Serves 6
Many people consider risotto too heavy to eat in summer, but you can serve this version, featuring shrimp and lightened up with lots of lemon, on the hottest day of the year and it would refresh. The amount of lemon juice and zest will depend on the freshness and intensity of the lemons, so add in small increments, tasting as you go.
2 quarts store-bought, reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth, or homemade Vegetable or Chicken Stock
18 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and butterflied (see See this note)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and cut into small dice
1 pound arborio rice (2 cups)
1 cup dry white wine
About 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
About 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Pour the broth into a pot large enough to hold the shrimp and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp and poach at a simmer, lowering the heat if needed, until firm and pink, about 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and set them aside on a plate. Keep the broth simmering over low heat.
2. Heat the olive oil and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the rice, stir to coat well, and cook for about 4 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring, until nearly all of the wine has evaporated.
3. Ladle 1 cup of simmering broth into the rice and cook, stirring, until it is nearly absorbed. Continue to add broth in 1/2-cup increments, stirring the rice constantly. When you are down to the last 2 cups or so, add the broth in smaller increments until the rice is softened but still a bit al dente. (You may not need all of the broth, or you may need to supplement it with more broth or water.) This step should take about 18 minutes altogether.
4. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and adjust with additional zest or juice as needed until the risotto attains a nice, bright flavor. Stir in the reserved shrimp, the tarragon, and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper.
5. To serve, divide the risotto among 6 warm dinner plates or shallow bowls.
VARIATIONS
Bay Scallop, Lemon, and Tarragon Risotto
This dish would be equally delicious with delicate little bay scallops. Simply replace the shrimp with an equal quantity of scallops.
TOMORROW’S TABLE
If you plan on leftovers (perhaps you’re only cooking for 2), leave out the lemon and make a fritatta (an Italian omelet) using the leftover risotto for breakfast the next day: Preheat the broiler and heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide, deep, ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the leftover risotto to the pan, spreading it out with a spatula. As the risotto warms, break 3 eggs into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs and pour them over the risotto in the pan, using the spatula to gently lift the risotto and let the eggs seep under it. When the eggs begin to set, transfer the pan to the oven and broil until puffy and lightly golden on top. Cut into wedges and serve at once.
When scoring the back of a shrimp’s tail to get at and remove the vein, a little extra pressure on the knife will deepen the cut and make the tail flare out. This is referred to as “butterflying” the shrimp. I butterfly shrimp because it ensures the entire tail has a uniform thickness, causing it to cook more quickly and evenly. Be careful not to cut all the way through the shrimp when butterflying.