Fresh jumbo shrimp sautéed with white wine, fennel and onion, atop creamy arborio rice with Parmesan. I like to add a little kale in here too, towards the end to keep its bright color. Slice along the stems to remove them, then stack the soft leaves and cut crosswise into thin strips— a “chiffonade” for those of you who like the formal term.
You can also skip the shrimp and have this as a vegetarian entree or a side dish.
Adapted from Real Simple
Serves: 6
Ingredients
4 Tblsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1-2 small bulbs fennel (the white part), chopped, plus 2 tablespoons fennel fronds, roughly chopped
1 medium or 2 small onions, chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
3/4 cup dry white wine
Kosher salt and black pepper
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, warmed
1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled, cleaned and deveined
1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/3 cup)
4-6 leaves kale (optional)
1/2 lemon (optional)
- Directions
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the fennel and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 8 to 12 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir until combined, then add the wine, ¾ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Cook, stirring, until the wine is evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of the broth at a time and simmer, stirring occasionally (and waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding the next), and cooking until the rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
- If using kale, add it towards the end of the cooking time, about 5-7 minutes before the risotto is done.
- Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until the shrimp is opaque throughout, 2 to 4 minutes. If not using shrimp, skip to the next step
- Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Serve warm topped with the fennel fronds. Grate some lemon zest on each serving and/or squeeze a bit of juice, as desired.
