Ingredients
Units Scale
For the prawn stock:
- 8 large frozen prawns, defrosted, heads and shells removed, tails reserved
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- 2 large ripe tomatoes
- 1/2 fennel, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, finely sliced
- 1 small carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 handful of basil
For the Orzo risotto:
- 150g orzo pasta
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/4 fennel, finely minced
- 8 prawn tails
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 50ml White wine
- Lemon
- Basil leaves, as required
- Fennel frond, as required
Instructions
- Firstly start with the prawn stock. Take a sauté pan or medium pot with a lid and heat 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Add the prawn heads and shells and sauté for 1 minute. Crush the heads to extract the maximum amount of flavour.
- Add sliced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients and cover with water (at least 500ml).
- Bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 20 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve and reserve.
- For the Orzo risotto, put a sauté pan on a medium heat and add the garlic, fennel and shallot. Sauté for 5 minutes or until soft.
- Add the pasta and deglaze with a splash of white wine. Reduce the wine whilst stirring constantly.
- Add a ladle full of stock and cook until reduced. Keep on adding the stock whilst stirring. Repeat until their pasta is cooked and the sauce is creamy and thick.
- Season to taste and add lemon juice and zest. You can either reserve for later use or keep warm with a lid on.
- When read to eat, place a frying pan on a high heat and add olive oil. Add your prawn tails and optionally garlic and chilli. Fry on each side for 1 minute max. Let them rest for another minute.
- Place the prawn tails on the orzo risotto along with sliced cherry tomatoes, basil leaves and a glug of extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
If you don’t have time to make the stock or don’t have shrimp shells or heads you can use store bought vegetable stock.
- Category: Mains
- Cuisine: Italian