ROOMMATE DINNER…

Everyone has their favorite comfort foods, the kind that instantly puts you in a great mood or reminds you of home. As a carb lover extraordinaire, one of my all time standout comfort foods is the Italian rice dish risotto.  My mom and I both agree there is nothing more comforting after a long day then a hearty, fresh risotto and a glass of wine and the hands-on attention it requires makes it one heck of a stress reliever.  No contest, Austin’s very own Vespaio serves the best risotto in town. With a daily changing risotto special, you are sure to get the freshest combination of seasonal produce and the best flavors possible in a one dish meal. Alas, because Vespaio is both one of the nicest places in town and the dishes certainly do not skimp on butter and creams, self-made risotto is the much better option. Not to mention, making this at home is a great way to use up produce and utilize pantry items since the best thing about risottos are that you can basically put anything in them. Think butternut squash in the fall, wild mushroom and prosciutto in the winter, pea and asparagus in the spring, and my absolutely favorite, seafood in the summer.

Recently inspired by my trip to the Texas coastline and the need to use up some delicious squash and tomatoes, my roommate and I had a little bit of a fancy Tuesday with a meal of seafood risotto with shrimp, bay scallops, and freshly steamed lobster served with a side of haricot verts sautéed shiitake mushrooms. I simplified the process by having the very kind fishmonger steam the lobster for me in store while I shopped because that is a process in and of itself! Also, it didn’t hurt that Central Market had in store specials on all their seafood. (Foodie Tip: Sign up on the Central Market website to get the lowdown on weekly specials. They always have amazing deals on groceries that are themed together so you get great savings overall.) I think a lot of people are scared to try making risotto but it’s actually pretty simple once you get the technique down, and there is a large margin for error, especially in a vegetarian dish. If it’s your first time giving it a try, I recommend prepping the vegetables prior to starting to cook because it can be overwhelming. Here are a few snapshots of the finished product, and the recipe and techniques used are after the jump! Enjoy…

Continue reading Recipe File: Seafood Risotto