Chorizo & Prawn Risotto

Chorizo & Prawn Risotto

Chorizo and Prawns, a match made in heaven – this is comfort food at its best!  This definitely my favourite risotto recipe – a must try!

Serves 4

Preparation time:  15 minutes

Cooking time:  40-45 minutes

Ingredients

12 Cherry tomatoes

Drizzle of olive oil

2 sticks of celery, finely chopped

1 red pepper, finely chopped

1 large onion, peeled & finely chopped

200g chorizo sausages, sliced and halved

1 tsp chilli flakes

275g risotto rice

Glass of white wine

1 litre of chicken stock

pinch of saffron, infused in a 1 tbsp of warm water

200g uncooked king prawn

Freshly ground pepper

small handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped

knob of butter

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C/Gas Mark 6.  Place the cherry tomatoes on a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil, roast for 35 minutes or until their skin has started to split and blacken.

2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan and add the onions, celery and red pepper.  Cook on a low heat for 4-5 minutes or until softened.  Add the chorizo and stir until you can really smell the smoky paprika of the meat and the oil has turned a rich burnt orange. Now add the chilli flakes and continue to stir and fry for 1 minute. Turn the heat up a little and add the rice, stirring until it turns opaque.

3. Add the wine and stir through (and pour a glass for yourself). Then start adding the stock one spoonful at a time, stirring gently as you go. As each spoonful is absorbed, add another until the mixture is almost the consistency of rice pudding, but still with some bite to the rice. Pour in the saffron and its water and stir it in. When it’s all absorbed gently stir in the tomatoes, uncooked prawns and coriander and continue stirring until the prawns turn pink.

4. Turn off the heat and grind over some black pepper, you can also mix in some butter at this point, cover and leave it to add more richness to the dish.

• If you have any leftovers, you can eat this the next day by sprinkling with parmesan cheese and placing in the oven at 170°C/150°C/Gas Mark 4 for 45 minutes, delicious!