Risotto al Zafferano, Gamberi...Risotto al Zafferano, Gamberi Rossi e Liquirizia

A luxurious, Michelin-caliber Acquerello riso dish featuring the vibrant warmth of Aquila saffron, pristine raw Sicilian red prawns marinated in citrus, and a subtle, avant-garde dusting of Calabrian licorice powder.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the Prawn Stock: In a medium pot, sear the reserved prawn heads in a splash of olive oil, crushing them with a wooden spoon to release their juices. Add 1 minced shallot, cover with 1.5L of cold water, and bring to a gentle simmer for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh chinois, return to heat, and keep warm. Infuse half of the saffron threads into 100ml of this warm stock.

2. 02

   Prepare the Prawn Tartare: Chop the cleaned red prawns coarsely. Marinate them gently in a small bowl with a thread of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of fleur de sel, and a touch of organic lemon zest. Cover and keep chilled in the refrigerator.

3. 03

   Toast the Rice: In a heavy-bottomed copper pot, sweat the remaining minced shallot in 15ml of olive oil over low heat until translucent. Add the Carnaroli rice and toast dry for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains are translucent at the edges and hot to the touch.

4. 04

   Cook the Risotto: Deglaze the rice with the dry white wine and let it evaporate completely. Begin adding the hot prawn stock one ladle at a time, stirring gently. Keep the rice at a constant simmer. Halfway through the cooking process (around 8 minutes), stir in the saffron-infused stock and the remaining saffron threads.

5. 05

   Mantecatura: After 16-17 minutes, when the rice is perfectly al dente, remove the pot from the heat. Let it rest for 1 minute. Energetically whip (all'onda) the cold cubed butter and the grated Parmigiano Reggiano into the rice to create an incredibly creamy emulsion. Adjust seasoning with fleur de sel.

6. 06

   Plating: Spoon the vibrant golden risotto onto flat warm serving plates, gently tapping the bottom of the plate to help the risotto spread evenly. Carefully arrange the chilled marinated red prawn tartare in the center. Using a fine-mesh sieve, lightly dust a whisper of Calabrian licorice powder over the plate and serve immediately.