Heat the butter in a large saucepan and when it is bubbling, add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
20 g butter, 1 onions
Add the rice and stir it around so it is well coated in the butter. Fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine or vermouth and stir until it has all evaporated. The alcohol will evaporate off but you can skip the wine if you prefer.
400 g arborio rice, 150 ml vermouth or white wine
Pour in the stock and season with salt and black pepper.
1 litre fish stock, 1 dash salt, 1 dash black pepper
Bring the pan to a simmer then cover with a tight fitting lid and turn the heat down low. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes until the rice is softened, stirring occasionally.
Add the prawns and the peas during the last 3 - 4 minutes so they heat through.
400 g prawns, 200 g frozen peas
Stir in the lemon juice, half the zest, and the parmesan. Let it rest for 2 - 5 minutes to allow it to go creamy. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and the remaining lemon zest and serve.
2 lemons, 40 g Parmesan cheese, 20 g fresh parsley
Notes
Ingredient Notes
Prawns - use large or king prawns as they have a juicier texture. Uncooked prawns are best as there is less chance of overcooking them but you can also use cooked ones. Prawns should be deveined and deveined prawns are widely available. Check the frozen section.
Arborio Rice - this is a special risotto rice. You can also use Carnaroli rice, but this is less widely available. Arborio rice is starchy and gives the risotto that nice creamy texture. A risotto won't work with other varieties of rice. Don't rinse the arborio rice before cooking as you will rinse away the starch that is needed for the creamy texture.
Vermouth or white wine - adding vermouth or white wine to risotto gives it a little acidity. You can leave it out if you prefer.
Fish Stock - using fish stock gives the best flavour, but if you don't have any I recommend vegetable stock instead. The salt content of stocks can vary so check before adding your seasoning.
Fresh Lemons - the lemon juice cuts through the creaminess and lifts the flavour. If you don't have fresh lemons, add a splash of bottled lemon juice.
Parmesan Cheese - this adds to the creamy texture. Italians don't always use parmesan cheese with fish, but in this recipe, it works well. You can also use Grano Padano cheese which is often cheaper.
Storage
A risotto is best eaten as soon as it is cooked. You can store this prawn and pea risotto in the fridge for just 1 -2 days. Make sure when you reheat it that it is piping hot. You may also need to add a little extra stock to loosen it. A risotto doesn't freeze well as the texture of the rice goes hard and grainy.