It doesn't sound like a store cupboard recipe, but it was. Without celery or garlic for a risotto base I had to find an alternative and as for the tarragon, it was meant for something else, I didn't even know what it tasted like before now, but it was there and it worked.

Serves 2
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1 leek, halved lengthways and finely sliced
3 slices bacon chopped or 100g pancetta lardons
100g risotto rice
1 pint chicken stock
200g frozen large prawns
50g parmesan, finely grated
1 glass white wine
handful of fresh tarragon
knob of butter
tblsp olive oil

Heat the olive oil and a bit of the butter in a large shallow pan. Gently saute the onions and leek until soft. Add the bacon or lardons, and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the rice. Stir until it is coated with the oil and vegetable juices. Pour in the white wine. Once this has absorbed start adding the chicken stock a ladle at a time and stir continuously, waiting for the rice to absorb the stock before adding the next ladle. Keep adding the stock (and continue with boiling water if it runs out), until the rice reaches your desired texture. Some like it al dente, I like it soft.

Stir in a handful of the grated parmesan, keep some back for sprinkling on the top. Then stir in the prawns (if you are using frozen prawns, defrost first) and heat through (should only take a few minutes). Finish by adding another little blob of butter and about a tblsp of the chopped tarragon.

Serve sprinkled with black pepper, parmesan and more tarragon. Delicious.

Labels: cooking