Roasted Shrimp, Asparagus & Basil Risotto

 

This is one of those dinners that just kind of came together out of a need to empty out the fridge, and a desire to pluck some basil out of my thriving herb garden.

The risotto was made using my favorite (i.e. lazy) method, and I stirred in some roasted asparagus, shrimp, and fresh basil at the end. This was absolutely delicious, and one of the best risottos I've ever made. Roasting shrimp is the best way to cook it, and there is absolutely no better way to cook asparagus.

Roasted Shrimp, Asparagus & Basil Risotto
(Basic risotto recipe from The Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That)

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups arborio rice
• 5 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup dry white wine (I used Yellow Tail Chardonnay)
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb. of shrimp; deveined and tails removed
• 1/2 lb. of asparagus; ends trimmed and chopped in bite sized pieces (about 1 inch long)
• 6-7 fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F with rack set in center of oven.
2. Toss asparagus with olive oil, kosher salt & pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet and when you put the risotto in, put the asparagus in. Toss the shrimp with salt & olive oil and roast the last 6-7 minutes of cooking.
3. Combine the rice and 4 cups chicken stock in a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and bake 45 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, but slightly firm.
4. Carefully remove the dutch oven from the oven and stir in the remaining cup of chicken stock, Parmesan cheese, wine, butter, salt, and pepper. Stir vigorously for a few minutes until rice is thick.
5. Stack basil leaves on top of one another, roll into a log & chiffonade.  
6. When rice is thick, fold in the shrimp, asparagus & basil.