A Prawn and Pea Risotto is full of fresh flavours and ready in just 30 minutes. This recipe has always been a favourite in our house. Not only is it easy to make, it's also a great Storecupboard Staple as you can use frozen prawns and peas.
Prawns and peas go very well together as they both have a slight sweetness. The lemons contrast with this and give it a really fresh flavour. A risotto can sometimes be tricky to do when you've lots of distractions so in this prawn risotto recipe, there is minimal stirring. Finally, it's important to let any risotto 'rest' for 2 - 5 minutes in the final stage. This helps it to 'set' and the flavours to infuse a little, so don't be tempted to skip this bit.
Other Risotto Recipes
Recipe Tips and Variations
The best rice to use in a risotto is called Arborio rice. Arborio Rice has shorter grains and a slightly nutty flavour. It also has a high starch content and it's this that gives a risotto the creamy texture. For this reason, don't rinse the rice before using it as you don't want to wash away the startch. You can use other short grain varieties of rice although you won't get quite the same results.
I like to use cooked king prawns for this recipe and I buy them frozen. I find that the larger prawns have a juicier flavour and meatier texture. Cooked king prawns are already peeled and just need heating through. You can of course make this with the smaller cooked prawns or shrimp if you prefer.
To defrost prawns quickly and safely, place them in a bowl of cold water. It will take 10 - 15 minutes for them to defrost, which is all you need.
The lemon zest and juice is a really important part of this prawn risotto. If you don't have fresh lemons to hand, you can use bottled lemon juice instead. It's obviously not quite the same, but will still add some of that lemon flavour.
When it comes to the stock, you can use either a fish stock or a vegetable stock. The amount of seasoning you will need will depend on how salty your stock is so taste it before adding.
How to make it
Step 1 
Step 2 
Step 3 
Step 4 
Step 5 
Step 6
Defrost the prawns and peas in a large bowl of cold water before starting.
- Heat the butter in a large saucepan and when it is bubbling, add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the rice and stir it around so it is well coated in the butter. Fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine or vermouth and stir until it has all evaporated. The alcohol will all evaporate off but you can skip the wine if you prefer.
- Pour in the stock and season with salt and black pepper and add the prawns and peas. Give it all a gentle stir.
- Bring the pan to simmer then cover with a tight fitting lid and turn the heat down low. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes until the rice is softened, stirring occasionally.
- When the rice is cooked, stir in the lemon juice, half the zest and the parmesan. Let it rest for 2 - 5 minutes to allow it to go creamy.
- Serve the risotto with the parsley and the remaining lemon zest sprinkled over the top.
Sustainability
Buy prawns that carry the MSC Blue label to certify that they are from sustainable sources. Buying fish and shellfish from sustainable sources is important as it means that fish stocks are not overfished and remain healthy. It also means that fish has been caught in a way that is not damaging to the marine environment. An on-line sustainable prawn retailer is The Happy Prawn Company, and they carry the MSC.
Storing Freezing and Reheating Risotto
A risotto is best eaten as soon as it is cooked. As it contains fish, you can store this prawn and pea risotto in the fridge for just 1 -2 days. Make sure when you reheat it that it is piping hot. You may also need to add a little extra stock to loosen it. A risotto unfortunately doesn't freeze well as the texture of the rice goes hard and grainy.
Prawn and Pea Risotto with Lemon
Ingredients
- 20 g butter organic
- 1 onions organic, peeled and diced
- 400 g arborio rice organic
- 150 ml vermouth or white wine organic, fairtrade
- 400 g prawns MSC certified
- 200 g frozen peas organic
- 1 litre fish stock or vegetable stock
- 1 dash salt
- 1 dash black pepper organic, fairtrade, freshly ground
- 2 lemons organic, fairtrade, juice and zest of
- 40 g Parmesan cheese organic, grated
- 20 g fresh parsley organic, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large saucepan and when it is bubbling, add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir it around so it is well coated in the butter. Fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine or vermouth and stir until it has all evaporated. The alcohol will evaporate off but you can skip the wine if you prefer.
- Pour in the stock and season with salt and black pepper then stir in the prawns and peas.
- Bring the pan to simmer then cover with a tight fitting lid and turn the heat down low. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes until the rice is softened, stirring occasionally.
- When the rice is cooked, stir in the lemon juice, half the zest and the parmesan. Let it rest for 2 - 5 minutes to allow it to go creamy.
- Serve with the parsley and lemon zest sprinkled over the top.
Notes
Tips
- Arborio rice is the best rice for making a risotto. You can use other short grain rice varieties but avoid long grain varieties such as basmati and jasmine as you won't get the creamy texture. Don't rinse the arborio rice before cooking as the startch gives it the creamy texture.
- Cooked King Prawns are the best for this recipe but you can use smaller prawns of shrimps if you prefer.
- You can safely and quickly defrost prawns in a bowl of cold water. It will take 10 - 15 minutes.
- If you don't have fresh lemons you can use bottled lemon juice to add a lemon flavour.
- Use a vegetable or fish stock. The salt content of stocks can vary so check before adding your seasoning.
Storage
A risotto is best eaten as soon as it is cooked. You can store this prawn and pea risotto in the fridge for just 1 -2 days. Make sure when you reheat it that it is piping hot. You may also need to add a little extra stock to loosen it. A risotto doesn't freeze well as the texture of the rice goes hard and grainy.Nutrition per serving
The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.
Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think