Now that the sun is finally out in the UK I wanted to share my favourite summary prawn risotto.  A great recipe for those of you like me who believe summer and seafood are inextricably linked.  The wonderful taste and texture of fresh tiger prawns are given a punch of chili heat, balanced by the cool freshness of courgette and peas.  A comforting dish that is still light enough for a summer dinner party or lunch with friends and family.  This dish is brilliant if you are looking to impress your guests without having to spend hours in the kitchen.

Keep any leftovers for a delicious lunch the following day as this recipe tastes even better the following day when the flavours have been given more time to intensify.

For those who like this kind of stuff:

Put a photo out there of the factory floor at Surrey Kitchen. It’s not just about the oven and pans. It’s about the camera and the iMac.

And of course: of a few of Miles lovin the prawns 😉

For the full experience – cook this to ‘Twist n’ shout’ preferable by Chaka Demus & Pliers but for purists the Beatles is OK too.

Love to ya all. Esp ChefMimi SurreyKitchen’s BFF.

SurreyKitchen xxx

Serves 4

Ingredients

400g of fresh tiger prawns

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped

1 red onion finely chopped

1 1/2 pt fish stock

1 courgette chopped

6 mushrooms chopped

A handful of frozen peas

300g arborio rice

A dash of white wine

Preparation Method

1) Fry onion, garlic and chili in a large frying pan over a medium heat until soft.

2) Add 2 cube’s of fish stock to 1 1/2 pints of boiling hot water from the kettle.

3) Add the courgette and mushrooms to the pan and fry for 2 minutes.

4) Add a quarter of the arborio rice to the pan and stir thoroughly.  Heat through for 1 minute.

5) Add a quarter of the stock and simmer on a medium heat until totally evaporated.  Then add another quarter of the rice and stock and repeat.

6) Add a dash of white wine and stir thoroughly.  Repeat step 5 until all of the rice and stock has been added to the pan.

7) Two minutes before you wish to serve add the prawns and frozen peas and stir.  It should take 25-30 minutes to cook in total.  Serve when the rice is al dente (with a slightly firm, starchy bite in the middle).  The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy.

8) Let the risotto rest for 2 minutes, then serve with a wedge of lemon and a glass of white wine.  Delicious!