(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
- 1 Lb of Spot Prawns
- 16 Fluid Ounces Clam Juice (I used Bar Harbor brand)
- 2 1/4 cups of Seafood Stock
- 1/4th of a cup of Spot Prawn Roe Liquid (see steps below)
- 1/2 a cup of Mascarpone Cheese
- 1/2 a cup of dry white wine ( I used Pinot Grigio)
- 5 Shallots (finely chopped)
- 2 Tbsp’s unsalted butter
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 1/8th of a tsp of Saffron Threads
- 2 Tbsp’s of snipped chives (plus a little more for garnish)
- 2 Tbsp’s of Olive Oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
How to re-create this recipe:
- De-frost your Prawns by placing them in cold water for about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Place a colander in your sink and next to it place a fine mesh sieve over the top of a small sturdy container.
- After 40 minutes, remove the shells and place them directly in the colander. It’s ok if your prawns are still semi-frozen (they defrost pretty quickly). If you find prawns with roe in them, very carefully remove the roe and place it in your sieve.
- After your done shelling your prawns, take the back of a small spoon and press the roe into the sieve, catching as much of the roe liquid as possible. Reserve this liquid.
- Finely chop your shallots, then de-vein the prawns. Afterwards, slice the prawns in half so your pieces are bite sized.
- In a small stock pot, combine the seafood stock, clam juice and roe liquid and bring up to a simmer. Afterwards turn down heat but make sure this mixture remains hot throughout the cooking process. Have a ladle handy.
- In a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots, season them with some salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and until they are softened and slightly translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add the rice and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring to thoroughly coat it. Be careful not to scorch the rice.
- Add the saffron and the wine and cook, stirring occasionally until all the wine has been absorbed.
- Add 1 cup of the combined stock/clam juice and stir constantly on low/medium heat until all the stock has been absorbed. Continue adding the stock about 1/2 a cup at a time, frequently stirring, making sure it is absorbed between adding additional cups of stock.
- When you are down to about 1 cup left of stock to add, preheat a large saute pan, add your butter and saute your prawns in it on medium high heat for about a minute on each side. They will be done and turn opaque quickly.
- When all your stock has been added, your risotto is al dente and the sauce is thick and creamy, add your snipped chives, lemon zest, sautéed prawns and mascarpone cheese. Give that a good stir and cook for a minute longer. Adjust your seasoning with salt.
- Serve in bowls and add some more snipped chives on top. Enjoy!
Nourishment for your body: Spot Prawns are a fantastic source of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, contain iron, zinc and vitamin E. They taste rich, buttery and super sweet and are also a highly sustainable species! They are sustainable because they are caught using deepwater traps which reduce by catch.
Tips when cooking: To de-vein your prawns, hold one between your thumb and your middle and pointer finger. Take a sharp pairing knife and run it down the middle, on the backside of the prawn. When the inside flesh is exposed, place your knife under the vein and pull it out, placing on a wet paper towel. Cooking the dish will take about 25 minutes and using the liquid from the roe is completely optional. It definitely adds more depth of flavor and added a beautiful coral color while cooking. Other options for dry white wines are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Gris. You can discard your prawn shells or rinse them in the colander and save them to make a stock for future cooking.