Creamy Prawn (Shrimp) & Lemon Risotto

Heat a large, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add prawns and 1/2 teaspoon garlic. Cook until prawns are pink, but make sure you don’t overcook them.

Remove prawns from pan, set aside and chop into bite-sized pieces when cool enough to handle. You can leave them whole if they are small or if you just want to!

In the same saucepan, heat olive oil and the rest of the butter over low heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon garlic, the onion and the bay leaf. Cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add a tablespoon of stock to stop them coloring, if necessary.

Stir in the rice. You want it to absorb the buttery oil. When it is opaque and makes a rustling sound as you stir, pour in the wine. Stir until the wine is absorbed, keeping the heat low.

Now turn up the heat to moderate.

Stir the rice while adding stock as needed to keep a veil of liquid above the level of rice for about 10 minutes. You probably won’t have used all your stock by this point. During this process, keep the stock hot—in a pan on the stove top is the easiest way.

Add the prawns, peas and lemon zest. Keep stirring and add stock (add less—you don’t want to force the rice to absorb too much).

Start adding some lemon juice to it now, a little at a time. Taste as you go to make sure it doesn’t get overpowering. Also check the texture of the rice; stop cooking when it still has a tiny crunchy uncooked bit in the center. And don’t forget to fish out the bay leaf!

Take the pan off the heat and season with salt and pepper. Add the cream and a little more stock, and stir through. This will be absorbed as it rests, so it’s up to you to judge how much stock it will need. Don’t worry. You’ll know by now how your rice is behaving!

Cover the pan and let rest for 10 minutes.

Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley, an extra drizzle of cream, some cracked pepper and a lemon wedge.

When I took my first bite of this, all I could say was “OH MY!” This is the ultimate in yummy, cozy comfort food, yet lovely enough to serve guests as either a starter or main.