View from our hotel veranda in Amalfi, Italy

Mr. C and I just got back from a three week trip to southern Italy. We ate and drank ourselves from Rome down to the Isle of Ischia, to Sorrento, Capri, the Amalfi coast, across to the Adriatic, up around the Gargano Peninsula and back across to Rome. The food we experienced was fantastic. And during the next couple of weeks I will be telling you more about our trip and give you a taste (so to speak) of some of the amazing dishes we experienced.

We ordered this incredible risotto dish our last night in Italy. We were flying out early (well early for us – 10:35am) the next day, so we returned our rental car (a Fiat 500) in Rome, took the train to the Leonardo da Vinci airport in Fiumicino, (about 30 km from downtown Rome) and hopped a cab to our seaside hotel. Fiumicino is a lovely small seaside town with many hotels and excellent restaurants. We stayed at the Hotel Del Mare (translated – hotel by the sea). The first floor of the building/hotel was a large, very busy pesce ristoranti (seafood restaurant). So when it came dinner time, we made the very long journey down one flight of stairs, out the front door of the hotel and into the side door of this restaurant.

We had been eating a lot of fish and a lot of pasta during our proceeding time in Italy, so something about the words risotto caught my eye. And when I read the next two ingredients, cream and shrimp, I was hooked. So for our primi (first course), I ordered the Risotto with Cream and Shrimp Sauce. And to my dying day I’m going to be glad I did. It was the best risotto I had ever tasted. So, of course I had to try and duplicate it when I got home. And I did! I got some help from internet searches, but came up with this final version that I think does the restaurant credit.

So next time you are in the mood for Italian food, and have a little time to spend in the kitchen, give this recipe a try.

A note about lobster base: It ain’t cheap! My favorite is Knorr, but it is hard to find. (PFI carries it if you live in the Seattle area.) More readily available is Better Than Bouillon, and I know Haggen’s (north sound grocery store chain) carries it. But if you can’t find lobster base, not to worry. Just make your stock with the shrimp shells and it should be just fine.

Shrimp Stock:

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• shrimp shells and tails
• 5 1/2 c. water
• 1-2 tsp. lobster base, opt.
• 1/4 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 T. roughly chopped celery
• 1/2 small carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch salt
• 8 black peppercorns
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 large sprig fresh parsley

In a large heavy stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the shrimp shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until shells are pink and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the water and all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly simmer until stock is flavorful, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain the stock into a large container and use immediately or allow to cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Shrimp Cream:

• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (save the shells and tails for Shrimp Stock – see above)
• 1/4 c. heavy cream + more for risotto*
• 1 c. canned tomatoes (Italian if possible)

Heat the olive oil in a large covered sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the shrimp until just opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan, allow to cool, chop into whole hazelnut sized pieces, and refrigerate until ready to use. In a food processor, puree ¼ cup heavy cream and tomatoes until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.

Risotto:

• 5 cups shrimp stock (see recipe above)
• 2 T. butter
• 1/2 c. finely minced shallots
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 c. Arborio rice
• 1/2 c. white wine (I like Pinot Gris)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• *heavy cream (about a cup)
• 2 T. chopped fresh basil
• 2 T. finely chopped Italian parsley, plus 2 T. for garnish   
• 2 T. finely grated Parmesan

In a small pot bring the shrimp stock to a boil. Reduce the heat and keep warm. Heat the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat; add the shallots and garlic (I use my small food processor to mince the shallots and garlic) and sauté until soft. Add the Arborio rice and stir until it is coated with butter, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the white wine, stir until most of the wine has been absorbed by the rice. Stir in the salt and pepper. Add the hot stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, after each addition, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the stock and stirring to release the starch from the rice. Begin to check the rice for doneness after 18 minutes, it should be al dente. Add the shrimp cream mixture (blended cream and tomatoes) and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved cooked shrimp and heat through. Add enough cream to bring to desired consistency. (The risotto should be very soft and creamy, not stiff.) Remove from heat and stir in the basil, parsley, and Parmesan. Adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve immediately.

A note about Italian food: The best way I know to describe authentic Italian food is fresh, local meat, seafood and produce, enhanced with subtle seasonings and complimentary ingredients. Except in rare cases, like the recipe for Arrabbiata (a very spicy red pasta sauce) that I am going to post in a couple of days, Italian chefs use a very light hand in everything they prepare. They absolutely do not ascribe to the old adage that if a little bit of something is good, a whole lot is better! And because they don’t use more of an ingredient than is necessary, like cheese or fresh basil for example, the taste of the dish is lighter, fresher and much more enjoyable.