On one in every of our journeys to the Amalfi coast a number of years in the past, we ate a number of seafood. We solely stayed in Positano for 4 nights, however aside from one meal of pizza, we loved seafood for each lunch and dinner each day. Wanting again on our journey, one in every of my favourite meals was at a singular restaurant in Marina di Praiano known as Il Pirata (the pirate – see picture of restaurant beneath).
The restaurant is perched on the cliff and is each a seaside membership the place you may lease chairs overlooking the ocean, in addition to a bar and restaurant. The meal we loved that day was memorable, from the fried contemporary anchovies to the grilled entire fish, however my favourite dish fingers down was the risotto.
The Amalfi coast is legendary for its lemon groves, and lemons are utilized in many regional dishes together with this risotto dish. The risotto had a contemporary lemon taste and was studded with tender, candy items of shrimp. We noticed this risotto on the menu of many eating places, and actually it was typically served within the shell of quite a lot of lemon that’s enormous, known as Sfusato lemons.
My husband beloved the flavour of my risotto dish a lot that he ordered it the next day at our resort restaurant, and it was in actual fact served within the massive lemon.
I used to be so taken with the looks of the risotto served within the lemon that I purchased a pair to convey residence with us so I may duplicate the recipe. (See pictures of the lemon beneath) And people cute fish dishes within the pictures have been picked up in Positano as nicely!
For greatest outcomes, this recipe needs to be made with contemporary lemon and shrimp. You do not need to splurge and purchase costly massive shrimp since they are going to be chopped for the recipe, however contemporary (not frozen) are all the time greatest when doable. It’s best to use an Italian number of rice that’s particularly grown in Italy, akin to Arborio, Vialone Nano, or Cararoli. Arborio can now be present in most American grocery shops, however actually might be discovered at an Italian specialty retailer.
I used a light-flavored vegetable broth for this risotto, however a mild-flavored rooster broth could possibly be used as nicely. Seafood inventory can be a little bit overpowering on this delicate dish and will masks the contemporary lemon taste. A real Italian risotto needs to be creamy, but not runny, and cooked to a consistency Italians name all’onda, which interprets as “with waves”.
Risotto will agency up because it cools, so don’t worry if it appears a bit runny when it’s completed cooking. You might not use the entire broth, however when you do run out, you should utilize a little bit sizzling water if wanted. If you’re new to creating risotto at residence, chances are you’ll discover my publish The Realities of Risotto useful.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Components
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
- 1 1/2 Cups Arborio Rice
- 1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
- 5 Cups Delicate Flavored Vegetable Broth, Heated
- Juice From 1 Giant Lemon
- 1 Tablespoon Recent Lemon Zest
- 6 Ounces Cleaned Recent Shrimp, Chopped
To End:
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Parsley
- Lemon Zest
Directions
- Warmth the butter and oil in a heavy saucepan over medium warmth.
- Add the onions and cook dinner till they’re translucent, about 7 minutes
- Add the rice and stir till it’s nicely coated with the butter and oil and cook dinner for two minutes.
- Add the white wine, and stir regularly over medium warmth till it’s absorbed.
- Begin to add 1/2 cup of sizzling broth, stirring as it’s absorbed.
- Proceed on this method, including ladles stuffed with sizzling broth, and stirring repeatedly for about quarter-hour.
- Add the lemon juice, zest, and shrimp, and proceed to cook dinner, including the broth, till the risotto is cooked, however stays barely agency to the chunk.
- Take away from the warmth, add the butter and the parsley.
- Serve in particular person bowls, garnished with further lemon zest.
