Risotto with scampi & zucchini

For ➍ 

240-300 g arborio rice

24 scampi

2 small zucchini

2 shallots

2 cloves of garlic

10 cl dry white wine

1.½ l chicken stock

olive oil

salt & freshly ground pepper

1-1½ tbs vadouvan (*)

Clean the scampi (remove the intestinal tract), mix them with the herbs and 1-1.½ tbs oil and put them away in a cool place.

Cut the zucchini into slices of about 1 cm thick and cut the slices again into sticks.

Bring the stock to the boil and keep it warm. We will use the stock to cook the risotto.

Heat the olive oil in a wide pot and fry the chopped shallot and garlic.

Add the rice to the pot and let it fry for a while until the grains become transparent.

Add the white wine and let it boil away. Then add a small tablespoon of stock and wait until the liquid has largely been absorbed. Then add stock again and keep repeating until the rice is done. This will take about 15 to 20 m. The rice should still be creamy, but should certainly not be cooked too flat.

Heat a large frying pan with a dash of olive oil and fry the marinated scampi over high heat.

Remove the scampi from the pan, add an extra dash of olive oil if necessary and fry the zucchini strips in the same pan, over sufficiently high heat (season them with salt and freshly ground pepper).

Add the fried scampi and zucchini to the risotto when it is done and stir everything carefully.

*or 1 ts kurkuma + 1 ts paprika powder + ½ ts chili flakes

Risotto with prawns & zucchini

For ➍
400 g risotto rice
1 l chicken stock (or fish stock )
1 onion, cut into fine pieces
olive oil
16 big shrimps (scampi)
1 large zucchini, cut into 3 mm slices
1 tbs mild curry

a splash of lemon juice
[Parmegiano cheese, grated
60 g butter***]

Clean the shrimps by removing the intestine through a notch. Fry the shrimp in olive oil and add 1 tbs of mild curry, salt and pepper*.  Bake for 3-4 m**. When ready, remove the shells, and cut into bite-size pieces***.
Put some olive oil in the pan and cook the sliced zucchini for about 6 m.
Fry the onion in olive oil for 3 m, without browning. Add the rice and stir so that each grain of rice is surrounded by a shimmering layer of oil.
Pour a ladle stirring hot chicken broth or fish stock over it.
Let it boil quietly, stir and add each time the moisture has evaporated a ladle of broth.  Adjust salt & pepper after 10 m. Add some fresh lemon juice***. 5 m before the end of the cooking time (about 20 m), add the zucchini and shrimps and stir.
Remove from heat.
[Add the butter*** and cheese***] Finish with some broth, to make it moist and smooth. Serve on warm plates.

*Or prepare a marinade: 2-3 tbs of olive oil with 1-1.5 tbs of mild curry or vadouvan. Marinade for 15 m.
**Grilling is a good alternative.
***Optional. Remove [] ingrdients for heart-friendly version

Read the tip on making a quick risotto.

Eggs curry

For ➍
300 g brown rice
4 eggs
300 g broccoli florets
2 tbs sunflower oil
2½ tbs vadouvan
40 cl coconut milk
250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
15 g coriander

Bring a pot of water to boil, add the rice and eggs and cook for  8 m. Take the eggs out of the pan and cool under cold running water.
Drain the rice and cook with the lid on the pan for 5 m or according to instructions. Stand.
Meanwhile cut the broccoli florets. Heat the oil in a wok and fry the vadouvan for ½ m.
Add the broccoli and stir-fry for 1 m.
Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Leave on medium heat for 5 m.
Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 m. Season to taste with salt*.
Meanwhile peel the eggs and cut them in half. Put the eggs into the curry.
Serve with rice and coriander.

*Optional

Vadouvan is a French interpretation of an Indian Masala called vadavam, from the Pondicherry region of southern India where France colonial influence is still felt. This curry blend is currently en vogue in France, Australia, and the U.S. It has a rich savory flavor that is more familiar to Western palates than many Indian spice mixtures. The traditional Indian curry flavors of turmeric, cumin, curry leaves, and coriander are given a sophisticated French twist with the addition of grated shallots, and a special taste by fermenting the ingredients. Use this spice to make French-style curried chicken salad, as a marinade for shrimp or fish, or wherever you would use regular curry powder. Hand blended from curry, curry leaves, white and toasted onion and garlic powders, brown mustard seeds, shallots (and kosher salt, sometimes omitted).