Prawn and Courgette Risotto with Lemon

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 400g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
• 320g Arborio risotto rice
• 2 courgettes, cut into 1cm dice
• 2 banana shallots, finely diced
• 150ml dry white wine
• 1.2 litres hot fish or vegetable stock
• 30g unsalted butter
• 1 lemon, zest finely grated and juiced
• 60g Parmesan, finely grated
• extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle, to serve
• Parmesan, finely grated, to serve
• a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, to serve
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
• ciabatta, to serve
• mixed leaf salad, to serve

Method

1. Pour the olive oil into a large, wide saucepan over a very low heat, add the crushed garlic cloves and leave to infuse for 8–10 minutes until the oil is fragrant and the garlic is pale golden. Remove and discard the garlic.
2. Increase the heat to medium, add the diced shallots and cook in the infused oil for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
3. Add the Arborio rice and stir for 2 minutes until every grain is coated and the edges look slightly translucent.
4. Pour in the white wine and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until fully absorbed and the sharp alcohol smell has cooked off.
5. Add the hot stock one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and only adding the next ladle once the previous one has been absorbed — this will take around 18–20 minutes in total.
6. While the risotto cooks, heat a separate frying pan over a high heat with a small drizzle of oil. Add the diced courgette and cook for 4–5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until golden at the edges and just tender. Season well and set aside.
7. When the rice is almost done — creamy with a slight bite — stir through the petits pois along with the courgette and the raw prawns. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the prawns are pink and curled through and the peas are bright and hot.
8. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the butter, grated Parmesan, lemon zest and lemon juice, then season to taste. The risotto should be loose and flowing — add a splash more stock if needed.
9. Spoon into warm bowls and finish with extra Parmesan, torn flat-leaf parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, with lemon wedges to squeeze over at the table.