Green risotto with shrimp, caramelized tomatoes, and yogurt chees
RISOTTO TIPS: A good stock is essential for a good risotto. Its temperature is very important -it should be hot and simmering and kept at this temperature throughout cooking the dish. Furthermore, in case your stock is store bought, make sure the stock is low sodium.
Get your mise en place ready: chop your onion(s), crush and mince your garlic, weight your rice etc. When all the necessary risotto ingredients are prepped, you can finally start working on your risotto.
Make sure you add some white wine to your risotto; it will add more complexity to the final dish. A white wine is usually recommended, unless you’re preparing a meat risotto.
Ingredients
- 3 cups swiss chard washed and roughly chopped
- 60 oz hot organic vegetable stock
- Extra virgin Greek olive oil
- 1/3 cup grated Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese plus extra to serve
- 2 celery stalks finely chopped
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 cup risotto rice
- ½ a bunch of fresh thyme or marjoram
- 1/2 cup white wine
- ½ a lemon
- 1 pound medium shrimp deveined, tail on
- A pinch of smoked or spicy paprika
- 1 garlic clove thinly minced
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 cup diced sauteed tomatoes, to serve
- 2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
Instructions
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Heat the vegetable stock. When it reaches to a boil, add the prepped greens, cover the pot and cook for 3 minutes or until just tender.
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Carefully remove the greens to a blender using tongs, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
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Add kefalotyri/ Parmesan cheese in the blender and 1 ladleful of stock, then process until super-smooth, loosening with a little more stock, if needed.
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Place onion and celery in a stock pot on medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook for 10 minutes or until softened but not colored, stirring occasionally.
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Stir in the risotto rice to coat in the oil for 2 minutes, then pour in white wine and stir until absorbed.
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Pour a ladleful of stock into the pan and wait until it’s been fully absorbed before adding another, stirring constantly. Repeat over the next 15 minutes or so.
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When the rice has absorbed all the stock, but still holds its shape, a process that will take 16 to 18 minutes, start gradually adding the blended greens, stirring until slightly thickened. Add the fresh thyme and stir well.
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Turn off the heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, Kefalotyri/ Parmesan and stir to combine.
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Taste and season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice, cover the pot and leave to rest for a minute or two before serving. Finish with a fine grating of Kefalotyri/ Parmesan, if you like.
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Thaw the shrimp, if frozen. Pat the shrimp dry. Mix the shrimp with salt and smoked or spicy paprika in a medium bowl. In a skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until just opaque and cooked through, turning them with tongs. Drizzle with lemon juice and put aside.
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Top with sauteed shrimp, tomatoes, and a dollop of Greek yogurt.
