My Autumnal Recipe - Prawns and Shiitake Mushroom Risotto

I looooveee risotto!!!!! Did I mention that I love risotto? It is probably one of my favourite dishes. And that is really saying something considering that my relationship with my foods makes me an "in the moment kinda girl". Meaning that I have to eat what I crave, and not just whatever is available to eat. This can be such a pain because most of what I crave involves cooking; I am not sure if this is peculiar to me or if I am just high maintenance:-). Now cooking is one of my favourite things to do, but not when I am starving. Can be quite distracting. So with a risotto, I am guaranteed a wholesome and tasty meal at the appropriate time. The best thing though is the versatility of the ingredients that can be used such that it can be eaten throughout the year while making the best use of seasonal findings.

And now with summer gradually fading away for another year, my prawn and mushroom risotto comes to life (alot) in my kitchen. #Delizioso.

Ingredients

• 7oz Carnaroli Rice 
• 1oz 1Stilton Cheese 
• 2 small Chilli - (finely chopped)
• 1 Spring Onion - (coarsely chopped)
• 1 clove Garlic - (crushed)
• 1 small Shallot - (coarsely chopped)
• 150ml Dry White Wine (Sauvignon Blanc) 
• 3oz Butter
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice 
• 1 Chicken Stock Cube (or Vegetable Stock Cube)
• 1oz Shiitake Mushrooms 
• 3oz Fresh Prawns 
• 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper 
• 1oz Parsley - shredded 
• 700ml Water  

Method

Chicken Stock

1. To a small sauce pan, pour 700ml of water.
2. Add chicken stock cube (or vegetable stock cube) and shiitake mushrooms
3. Bring to boil on low heat. Stir to ensure stock cube is completely dissolved.
4. Remove from heat and strain out mushrooms and reserve for later use in risotto.

(Porcini mushrooms can be used instead of the Shiitake).

Risotto

1. Melt butter in medium size pan at low heat. 
2. Add shallots and garlic and saute until softened. 
3. Add Carnaroli rice and stir thoroughly to coat. (You can substitute with Arborio rice)
4. Add chilli and the reserved Shiitake mushrooms and continue stirring. 
5. Add white wine (Sauvignon Blanc). Increase heat and stir until liquid is absorbed
6. Add prawns and reduce heat.
7. Add chicken stock by ladling in one at a time, simmering until liquid is absorbed before adding more.
8. Allow to continue cooking for about 20 minutes, while continually stirring, until rice is cooked to have a translucent look with a hint of whiteness in the middle (for that extra bite). 
9. Add stilton cheese and stir in thoroughly. 
10. Remove from heat and add in spring onion, lemon juice, parsley and black pepper.

Serves 2