Combining creamy arborio rice, rich white wine, buttery spinach, tangy lemon and lightly seasoned shrimp creates a beautiful array of tastes and colors in this elegant dish. Risotto, although involving several steps, is actually very easy to prepare and requires few ingredients.
Serves 4
Prep Time: 0 hour, 50 minutes
Cook Time: 0 hour, 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups broth, preferably fish stock or vegetable stock
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- ½ cup plus ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 T. plus 1 t. sea salt, plus more to taste
- 2 T. olive oil, divided
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 T. dairy-free soy margarine or cream cheese (optional)
- Fresh dill or parsley (optional)
- Lemon zest, for garnish
- Black pepper, to taste
Preparation:
1. In a medium-sized stockpot over medium heat, bring the broth to a simmer and cover. In a small bowl, toss the spinach, ¼ cup lemon juice and 1 t. of the salt. Set aside.
2. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat 1 T. of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and the salt, cooking until the shrimp are opaque, about 4 minutes, flipping them as needed. Set aside and cover until ready to use.
3. Heat the remaining 1 T. olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat (I just use the same one as the shrimp), adding the chopped onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the rice, and, stirring constantly, cook until the rice is evenly coated and sounds like crispy rice cereal in the pan, making snapping and popping noises, about 4 minutes. Add the wine, stirring constantly, until all of the liquid is completely absorbed.
4. Ladle ¾ cup of the simmering broth into the rice and cook, continuing to stir, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the lemon juice to the stockpot.
5. Continue to add the broth in ¾-cup increments, allowing the liquid to be absorbed before another addition, until the rice is translucent around the edges but still solid in the middle and the rice is of a creamy consistency, about 20 minutes.
6. Remove the pot from the heat and gently stir in the shrimp and spinach. If desired, stir in the 1 T. soy margarine or cream cheese, fresh herbs and lemon zest. Pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
