Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Roasted Shrimp and Peas

Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Roasted Shrimp and Peas - Photo by Michelle Judd of Taste As You Go
Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Roasted Shrimp and Peas

You'd think that the last thing I'd want to do at the end of a long week full of deadlines at work and meetings for the various groups for which I volunteer would be to make a dish for dinner that requires a bit of effort. But I had stopped by Hunter's Point Wines & Spirits after I left the office and Paul (the owner) convinced me (way too easily) to stay for their Friday evening tasting featuring Italian wines. I really enjoyed the Vermentino and before I could stop myself, I was standing by the cash register, signing the receipt for the bottle I had just purchased.

Geografico 2007 Campo Vernino Vermentino - Photo by Taste As You Go
Geografico 2007 Campo Vernino Vermentino

I thought the Vermentino would pair perfectly with the roasted shrimp (inspired by a recipe for Roasted Shrimp & Broccoli posted by The Amateur Gourmet) I was planning on making when I got home. I was not five steps out of Paul wine shop when it occurred to me that I could make risotto for dinner, incorporating the shrimp and the wine. As soon as I got home, I seasoned the shrimp and put them in the oven to roast while I prepared the remaining ingredients for the risotto.

Roasted Shrimp - Photo by Michelle Judd of Taste As You Go
Roasted Shrimp

Risotto is one of those dishes where it's imperative that the ingredients are ready to go since you're limited to how much prep you can do away from the stove once you begin adding the warm broth to the Arborio rice and have to commit to stirring it.

Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Roasted Shrimp and Peas - Photo by Michelle Judd of Taste As You Go
Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Roasted Shrimp and Peas

After I had added all of the ingredients and had tasted the finished dish, I was in love with my creation. The somewhat sharp and peppery flavor of the roasted shrimp complemented the smooth and creamy texture of the risotto, while the peas added both color and sweetness. And I was right -- the Vermentino paired perfectly with the dish. I hope you enjoy it!

Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Roasted Shrimp and Peas

Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS
  • 1/2 pound medium shrimp, cleaned, rinsed, and pat completely dry
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup Arborio rice
  • 3/4 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

  2. On a baking sheet, toss the shrimp (with tails on) with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven for 5 minutes. Turn the shrimp and roast an additional 3 minutes.

  3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the tails from the shrimp and chop. Set aside.

  4. Bring broth to boil, then reduce to simmer. Heat peas in simmering broth for 1 minute. Remove peas from broth and set aside.

  5. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pot. Cook garlic until golden brown. Add rice, stirring until toasted and golden.

  6. Remove from the heat and pour in the white wine. Put the pan back on the heat and stir until the wine has evaporated.

  7. Add the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next. Continue doing this until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total.

  8. Fold in the shrimp, peas, and cheese until well combined. Taste! Then season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately.

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Comments

Oh gosh, this looks great. Love risotto! And this is such a great combination of flavors for spring.

+Jessie
The Hungry Mouse - Thanks, Jessie! I honestly think I could eat risotto every day for the rest of my life. Especially now that spring is here and the markets are brimming with fresh vegetables!
nice dish - I love risotto and this combination looks like a winner.
Doggybloggy - Thanks! Isn't it great how your plan to make one dish morphs into a plan to make an entirely different dish after you buy a bottle of wine? :-)
Shelby said…
Yum! I want to eat this!
HoneyB - You're more than welcome to come on over for dinner the next time I make this risotto, Shelby! :-)
wow- that looks super creamy! my risotto never comes out like that
LK- Healthy Delicious - The best part? The risotto actually looked like that in the bowl and I didn't have to use any super secret photo editing tricks to get that shot! :-)
Brenda Campbell said…
Your food always looks so yummy in the photos you take. How do you get them looking so good? what type of camera do you use? That risotto looks so awesome! makes me want to bite my screen LOL
Brenda Campbell - Thank you!! I'm actually pretty impressed with how my photos turn out, especially since I do very little editing once I've uploaded them.

Two tips:
1. Use natural light when possible.
2. Don't be afraid to take multiple shots of the same exact thing.

I use a Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS, which I received a few months ago from my father as a belated birthday gift. And I absolutely love it!

Hope your screen survived... ;-)
Looks yummy! I'm always making fried rice with shrimp and peas... but I do love risotto and this the perfect thing to shake up my usual dish. Thanks for sharing your great recipe.
Jules @ Lovely Las Vegas - Thanks for stopping by my blog, Jules! I agree, the combination of shrimp, peas, and rice is classic and provides a delicious base for a large variety of recipes. I hope you enjoy the risotto!
Anonymous said…
I had problems with some dishes and figured out is was old crappy spices. I went online and found Juliet Mae spices, I tried their taco, and Vanilla sugar and dumped all the old stuff in my cabinet. It seems odd but even black pepper can taste better.
Caitlin said…
Looks yummy! I am very into shrimp lately, but have not tried it in a risotto yet.
Caitlin - This was the first time I tried shrimp in risotto, and I was really pleased with the results. I hope you enjoy it!
Val said…
I tried this using roasted asparagus diced small and it was fantastic. I loved the flavors. It's a great recipe and my mom is demanding I share it with her!
Cherie - Adding asparagus to risotto is something I love to do, too! I'm so pleased you enjoyed the recipe!