Shrimp and Mushroom Risotto with Italian Herbs and White Wine Sauce

I have cooked many dishes and have done many experiments, substituted many ingredients and discovered many flavours.. but if there’s one dish that truly left me mind-blown, it is this. I am almost afraid to cook this again, for fear of not being able to replicate the flavour a second time. The umami was something out of what my palette could recognise, and it is indeed, a welcomed surprise.

I decided to include this not-that-budget Shrimp & Mushroom Risotto recipe because it’ll still cost you less than what you’d pay for risotto outside! :) Plus, the extreme satisfaction you get after the meal is completed? It’s priceless!

Makes 2-3 servings

What I used:

4 tablespoons butter
2 cups sliced shitake mushrooms
8 shrimps or prawns, medium sized
1 cup white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
200ml President light cooking cream
1 packet Lee Kum Kee pork bone hotpot soup base
2 medium red onions, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup Carnaroli rice, uncooked (I got mine from Fairprice Finest)
Some grated Parmesan cheese
A sprinkle of dried Italian herbs (optional)

You’ll need: 1 small/ medium pan, 1 instant-noodle pot, 1 large pan

1. Heat 2 tbsp butter in medium pan, add sliced mushrooms and fry for 5 mins at medium-high flame. Add prawns.
2. Add white wine, bring to a boil, then cook for 3 mins. Remove only the prawns and set them aside.
3. Add cooking cream, reduce flame to medium then simmer for 5 mins. Set mushroom mixture aside.
4. In a separate pot, simmer 6 cups water (1.25 litres) and add the Lee Kum Kee hotpot soup base. Let it continue to simmer as you cook the rice in the coming steps.
5. Using a large pan, melt 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté chopped onions til soft, about 3 mins. Add 1 rice-cup of uncooked Carnaroli rice, swirl to coat with the butter and oil.
6. Add simmering stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring enough to keep the rice from sticking to the edges of the pan. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. Rice should be ready in about 1/2 hour. The rice should be soft and just a little chewy. Don’t mush it or break the grains on purpose. Keep tasting! 
7. Stir in the mushroom mixture and some grated Parmesan cheese. Arrange the prawns on top, sprinkle some Italian herbs, then enjoy!

How much I spent: 

More than usual :P

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I read somewhere that Italians don’t use cooking cream in their risotto but this is the only way I know how to make it. And it tastes good! So although this may not be traditionally Italian, please try not to leave out or substitute any ingredient for this dish. The ingredients are quite easy to prepare.. just some butter, packaged cream, bottled wine, and rice out of a box. The only thing you really need to do is slice up those mushrooms and chop those onions. But believe me when I say you won’t regret it!  Cook this on a Saturday night for your candlelight dinner. Just be sure to give yourself ample time to wash up before eating. Cooking rice on a stove-top, is after all, quite labour-intensive!