Cajun Risotto Recipes

LOUISIANA BROWN JASMINE RICE AND SHRIMP RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Sauté the rice and black pepper until rice is well coated and nutty smelling, about 3 minutes. Add 2½ cups stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir and quickly re-cover. Continue simmering for another 20 minutes. Stir again. Turn off the heat and replace the lid. Set aside to continue steaming off the heat while preparing the rest of the dish.
• Heat a large sauté pan (at least 5 quarts) over medium heat. Melt 4 tablespoons butter. Sauté the onions, garlic, jalapeño and squash until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup stock and the cooked rice and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer and heat thoroughly while stirring, about 5 minutes. Stir in the scallions and parsley. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

INSTANT POT® CAJUN SHRIMP RISOTTO

Steps:

• Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and select Saute function. Once the panel reads HOT, add butter, shallot, and garlic. Cook and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add wine and quickly deglaze by using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Cancel Saute mode.
• Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 12 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Select Saute function.
• Stir in shrimp and the remaining 1/2 cup of broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are opaque, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted, then add parsley. Serve immediately and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning to taste.

SLOW-COOKER JAMBALAYA RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 13 ingredients. Cook, covered, on high for 1-3/4 hours. Stir in shrimp, sausage and, if desired, cheese. Cook until shrimp turn pink and rice is tender, 10-15 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf.

CRAB RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the butter and oil together in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft. Do not brown, they should be translucent. Add the rice and saute for a further 3 to 5 minutes making sure the rice is well coated, Using a ladle, add about 1/2 cup of stock to the rice and stir over a medium heat until the rice is almost dry and all the stock has been incorporated. Repeat this process until the rice is cooked but still has a slight bite. The rice should be creamy and moist, not runny, and the cooking time should be around 30 minutes.
• Just before serving, fold in the crabmeat, chopped chives, and Parmesan. Drizzle sparingly with white truffle oil.

SHRIMP CREOLE RISOTTO

Steps:

• In medium saucepan, combine shrimp shells and enough water to cover. (Refrigerate shrimp until used later in recipe.) Cover, place over high heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer 25 minutes, skimming foam occasionally. Pour stock through fine-mesh sieve into large bowl and set aside.
• In heavy, 6-quart pot over moderate heat, heat 3 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add bell pepper, half of onion, half of celery, half of carrots, half garlic, jalapeños, orange zest, 3 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 1/2 sprigs parsley, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and 1 1/4 cups wine, and simmer 3 minutes. Add shrimp stock and just enough water to cover vegetables, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove parsley, thyme, and bay leaves. Working in batches, purée in blender until smooth. Keep warm.
• In medium saucepan over moderately low heat, bring chicken stock to simmer. Cover; keep warm over low heat.
• In heavy, large saucepan over moderately high heat, heat 3 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add remaining onions, celery, carrots, and garlic; remaining 3 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves, and 1 1/2 sprigs parsley; and 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to moderate and sauté until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is fully coated with oil, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until wine is almost completely absorbed, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup chicken stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock, 3/4 cup at a time, stirring and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy-looking but still al dente, about 30 to 40 minutes. (There may be leftover stock.) Remove herbs, then stir in butter, lemon zest and juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover risotto and keep warm.
• Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In large sauté pan over moderate heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add shrimp and sauté until pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Divide risotto evenly among 10 bowls, mounding in center of each bowl. Top each mound with 6 shrimp. Spoon sauce around risotto and garnish with scallions and thyme leaves.

PRESSURE-COOKER JAMBALAYA RISOTTO

Steps:

• Select saute setting on a 6-qt. electric pressure cooker and adjust for medium heat; add 1 tablespoon oil. When oil is hot, stir in and cook sausage until lightly browned, 5-7 minutes; remove and keep warm. Sprinkle chicken with Cajun seasoning; add to pressure cooker. Cook and stir until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. Remove and keep warm. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion, green pepper, celery and garlic. Cook and stir until crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes. Stir in rice. Add broth and wine, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Press cancel., Lock lid; close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 4 minutes. Let pressure release naturally., Select saute setting and adjust for medium heat. Add sausage, chicken, cheese, tomatoes, parsley and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through. If desired, garnish with additional parsley and Parmesan cheese.