A lightly flowing, creamy risotto topped with pink pan-fried scampi and a hint of garlic - simple yet elegant, almost luxurious: scampi risotto.
Kruno Kapetanović, head chef at Hotel Navis in the Croatian coastal town of Opatija, knows how to achieve the right blend of fresh seafood and soul food - and he is sharing his recipe.
Ingredients:
- per person: 70-100 g of scampi tail meat, equivalent to 4-5 scampi depending on size
- per person: 70-100 g of rice
- olive oil
- dry white wine
- brandy
- garlic
- onion
- butter
Preparation:
- The first step is to separate the tail meat from the rest of the scampi body. Remove the head and shell. By twisting the outermost tip of the tail shell and pulling it gently, the long black intestinal thread attached to the middle section can be removed and discarded. Set the small tail meat fillets aside for now.
- What follows is the cornerstone of any risotto: the stock. Place the heads and shells in a pot, cover with water and simmer for half an hour. At the end, the softened heads can be pressed to extract more flavour. Strain everything through a sieve and set aside.
- Kapetanović also recommends a more complex stock made with vegetables. First, cook pieces of celery, carrot and onion for 5-10 minutes, then add the scampi parts. The cooking time can be 1-2 hours; afterwards, add salt, pepper and a little butter.
- Back to the scampi fillets. Place them in a deep-sided pan with olive oil and a little chopped garlic. After 10 seconds, add a splash of brandy, then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Now add raw rice to the same pan, which still holds the scampi aromas. Add 1 teaspoon of chopped onion, then - depending on the quantity - 1-2 small ladles of stock and 100 ml of dry white wine. Stir slowly. Add more liquid as needed. Depending on the type of rice, leave on the hob for around 15-20 minutes, adding the scampi meat 2 minutes before the end. A little butter makes the dish creamier.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil.
"The risotto is best eaten with a fork," Kapetanović said. His recipe may not look particularly spectacular at first glance, but in terms of flavour it is hard to beat. – dpa
