Shrimp Risotto with Chorizo and Peas
Shrimp Risotto with Chorizo and Peas is a delicious quick and easy meal. In thirty-five minutes, I cooked this meal from start to finish. Besides being fast, this risotto also tastes very good. The smoked paprika and tomato give this risotto a lot of excellent Spanish flavor. In fact, this risotto reminds me a lot of a Spanish paella. If you don’t enjoy shrimp, you could substitute some cooked chicken instead. Or, you could leave out the shrimp and chorizo, and serve this as a meatless meal. This dish is a big hit with my family. Even my picky eater likes it. And, it reheats great the next day.
The Equipment I Used
- A Saucepan- I used a three quart saucepan to simmer my chicken stock in.
- A Dutch Oven- My Staub enameled cast iron Dutch oven cooked this dish to perfection.
The Ingredients Needed for Shrimp Risotto with Chorizo and Peas
- Chicken Stock- I always use homemade. My recipe is below.
- Tomato Paste- This recipe only uses a little bit of paste. I like to keep tomato paste in my freezer.
- Rice- Use Arborio rice, or any risotto rice.
- Shrimp- I strongly prefer Gulf shrimp. And, I find the frozen ones to be of better quality than the ones I can get fresh.
- Chorizo- Be sure and use Spanish fully cooked chorizo. I like the Niman Ranch brand.
- Peas- You don’t need to defrost them first.
How I Made my Risotto
- First, I brought my chicken stock to a simmer.
- Next, I added my stock to the rice in quarter cup increments. You know it’s time to add more broth when the rice begins to stick to the pot.
- Then, I added the shrimp, chorizo, and peas when the rice was almost absorbed. I had about a cup of stock yet to add at this point.
- Finally, I served the risotto with cilantro and lemon.
This Shrimp Risotto with Chorizo and Peas is a wonderful dish to serve to company. Many people are intimidated by risotto, but really it is quite easy to prepare. If you’ve never made risotto, this is a great starter recipe!
Shrimp Risotto with Chorizo and Peas
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound peeled and deveined Gulf shrimp
- ½ pound fully cooked Spanish chorizo
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- In a four quart saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer.
- In a Dutch oven, heat the oil on medium heat and cook the smoked paprika and tomato paste for a minute. Then add the rice and stir it until it is well coated with the oil and spices. Add a quarter cup of the stock, stirring the rice with a wooden spoon.
- When the rice begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, and another quarter cup of stock. Keep adding the stock in quarter cup increments until the rice is almost tender. You may not need all of the stock. Add the shrimp, chorizo, and peas and cook until the shrimp is fully cooked, about five minutes.
- Serve with cilantro and lemon.
Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 4½ lbs. chicken breasts and wings with skin and bones
- 10 cups water
- 2 peeled onions
- 2 peeled carrots
- 3 peeled parsley roots
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- 4 stalks celery
- 1 peeled parsnip
- 2 tbsp. garlic cloves
- 1 cup fresh parsley and fresh dill
Instructions
- Put the chicken and the salt in a large, tall pot and cover with ten cups of cold water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes, skimming any scum that forms.
- Add all the vegetables and herbs and simmer for two and a half hours. Pour the soup through a strainer to remove everything but the broth.
