By Natalie Lozano Trimble
Photography by Thanin Viriyaki
Read more: The Mont brings thoughtful, new American dining to Fort Worth
Royal Red Shrimp Risotto
Serves 4–6
Ingredients:
- 4 each shallots, fine dice (brunoise: very fine ⅛ cubes)
- 8 grams sea salt
- 300 grams risotto rice (arborio)
- 200 grams white wine
- 500 grams (with some extra) shrimp stock
- 40 grams olive oil
- 1 pound royal red shrimp, clean, cut into ½” chunks
- 4 ounces butter, room temperature
- 2 ounces grated Parmesan
- 1 each lemon zest
- 8 fluid ounces shrimp sauce, recipe to follow
- 1 bunch chives, thinly sliced
Preparation:
Preheat an oven to 320°F.
In a large oven-safe sauce pot with straight sides, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced shallots and salt and sweat (until shallots have no color) for 3-5 minutes.
Add the rice (unwashed) into the pan and continue to stir and toast for another 3-5 minutes until the rice is fragrant.
Deglaze the pan with white wine, stirring constantly and cook until most of the wine has cooked out and the pan is almost dry.
Add the shrimp stock, stirring and bringing to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat and place the lid on the pot. Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 16 minutes.
Remove from the oven, handle the pot handle with a dry kitchen towel, and stir in the diced shrimp, butter, grated parmesan and half of the chives over a low heat. Use any additional stock to thin out the risotto enough that it will mound up but slowly droop down, or if the pot is tilted, it slowly moves to the side. Stir for about 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp is opaque.
Taste and add any additional salt, butter or cheese as desired. Plate and top with a few ladles of the shrimp sauce and the remaining chives.
Shrimp Sauce
Makes 4–6 portions
Ingredients:
- 20 grams olive oil
- 35 grams shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 each garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 225 grams shrimp, not peeled, chopped
- 2 each thyme sprigs
- 1 each bay leaf
- 8 grams brandy
- 200 grams Roma tomatoes, roughly diced
- 150 milliliters white wine
- 250 milliliters shrimp stock
- 60 grams heavy cream
- salt, to taste
- cayenne pepper, to taste
- lemon juice, to taste
Preparation:
Heat olive oil up in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to keep any deep browning from occurring.
Add the chopped shrimp, thyme and bay leaf. Cook until the shrimp shells turn pink.
Off the heat, add the brandy and allow the alcohol to cook out. It may flambe; just allow the fire to die down naturally. Return to the heat quickly and continue cooking.
Add the tomatoes to the pan, cook them for about 5-8 minutes, allowing the tomatoes to break down and release their juice.
Add the white wine, bring to a boil and allow the liquid in the pan to reduce by 50%. Add the shrimp stock and allow it to come to a simmer. Cook until the liquid is reduced by 25%.
Add the heavy cream and a pinch of cayenne. Bring it back to a simmer and then cut the heat.
Transfer ingredients to a blender and blend at a high speed (starting from low and gradually increasing) for 1 minute or until the sauce is completely smooth. Pass through a sieve.
Season with salt, a touch of lemon juice to brighten the sauce, and serve hot.