4 cups water½ pound raw shell on shrimp½ small white onion rough chopped1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns2 bay leaves1 lemon
Procedure
Place 4 cups of water into a large pot and bring to a boil.
While you are waiting for the water to boil, cut the ½ onion, and the lemon. Add the whole black peppercorns, chopped onion, lemon and bay leaves to the water right away.
Now you have to de-shell the raw shrimp. They should be fully thawed and rinsed before you take the shells off. Simply pinch the tails and peel off the outer layer around the shrimp. (Also you may need to devein some of your shrimp if they have not been deveined already.) Separate the meat from the shells &tails. Save both, set the shrimp meat aside for later, and put the shells & tails into the pot of boiling water.
Let this simmer for about 4 min until the stock has absorbed all the flavors. Now strain out all of the solids in the water through a fine wire strainer. It is a good idea to check the amount of shrimp stock you have, measure the liquid to ensure there is no less than 3 ½ cups. Making Risotto is a process that requires as much liquid as the rice will absorb.
Risotto
3 tablespoons butter3 ½ cups flavored shrimp stock1 cup Arborio rice1 small carrot minced3 garlic cloves minced½ small white onion minced½ pound raw shrimpSalt & pepper to tasteOptional Garnish: Fresh chives and or Parmesan Cheese
Procedure
Return the strained shrimp stock to its original pot on the stove top and bring it to a simmer. Mince the carrot, onion, and garlic, and measure your Arborio rice.
In a medium sized pot melt the 3 T. of butter. Begin to cook the minced carrot, onion, and garlic quickly until tender. Now add the rice and stir fast to coat the rice in the remaining butter.
Reduce the heat to medium and stir in one cup of hot Shrimp stock to the rice. Repeat this step one ladle of stock at a time until it is all gone. YOU MUST Constantly stir and attend to the rice until all of the liquid has been absorbed slowly and the Risotto is Al Dente. That is the process required in the art of making a great Risotto.
Right before the last of the liquid has been absorbed, taste the Risotto to check the seasoning and texture of the rice. Salt and Pepper to taste. When the flavor is where you want it to be, add the raw shrimp directly into the hot Risotto and continue to stir it unlit the shrimp has cooked through. This does not take very long, the shrimp will turn pink. Serve Immediately.
Optional Fresh chives and grated Parmesan cheese to garnish.
