Forks & Knives: Creamy Shrimp and Mushroom Risotto

Let me begin by saying that This delicious Meal comes with a little bit of a work out!

But I will guarantee you that it is worth the while.

I found a great recipe online for a basic Risotto on About.com. I went ahead and added some sauteed mushrooms and shrimp with garlic to give it more flavor.

This meal is great as a side dish or even as the main star of the menu.

You may add chicken as well to give it more of a hearty feel or just keep it simple and yummy so vegetarians can eat up as well!

The original recipe says to use 1/2 cup of wine but since I didn't have any on hand I added 1/2 cup more of stock to replace the liquid.

Ingredients:

1½ cups arborio rice
1 qt chicken stock
½ cup white wine
1 medium shallot or ½ small onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
Kosher salt, to taste
2-3 Tbl of finely diced red bell pepper
1 Tbl minced garlic

Makes 6-8 servings

Preparation:

Heat the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then lower the heat so that the stock just stays hot.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and 1 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped shallot or onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until it is slightly translucent. Add the garlic and Red bell peppers as well.

3. Add the rice to the pot and stir it so that the grains are coated with the oil and melted butter. Sauté for another minute or so, until there is a slightly nutty aroma. But don't let the rice turn brown!

4.Add the wine and cook while stirring, until the liquid is fully absorbed.

5.Add a ladle of hot chicken stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process

Note: It's important to stir constantly, especially while the hot stock gets absorbed, to prevent scorching, and add the next ladle as soon as the rice is almost dry.

6.Continue adding ladles of hot stock and stirring the rice while the liquid is absorbed. As it cooks, you'll see that the rice will take on a creamy consistency as it begins to release its natural starches.

7.Continue adding stock, a ladle at a time, for 20-30 minutes or until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite, without being crunchy. If you run out of stock and the risotto still isn't done, you can finish the cooking using hot water. Just add the water as you did with the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring while it's absorbed.

8.Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp butter, the Parmesan cheese and the parsley, and season to taste with Kosher salt. At this point I added the sauteed mushrooms and shrimp as well.