when i first saw leeks, i was a bit scared to use them. i had very little knowledge of them, i don’t think i had even tasted them before. i had no idea what to expect. after a few google searches, i found out they have an onion-like flavor and figured, ‘onion-like’… i can work with that! and so, i started experimenting with leeks. i am thrilled i did.  leeks are rad!

the first time i made this dish it was very well received. while running errands yesterday, i came about a farmers’ market and they had a great deal on leeks. it was a sign that i had to make this dish again. here is the recipe for shrimp & leeks risotto!

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups of arborio rice
2 fresh leeks
2 tbs of butter
1 cup of hot vegetable stock
1 cup of room temperature heavy cream 
1 lb of shrimp
fresh ground pepper 

INSTRUCTIONS:
leeks have very tight layers so make sure to wash them well before using. 

the light green and white parts are edible. 

after washing, slice them thinly.

melt 1 tablespoon of butter.

add the leeks and cook on medium heat, stirring a few times to make sure they don’t burn. 

while the leek is cooking, heat up the rest of the butter and add the rice. mix the rice to coat with the butter.

add the stock, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly.

the leeks should be done once they soften up and start becoming translucent.  you don’t want to over cook the leeks since they will continue cooking once you throw them into the risotto.

once you use all the stock, start adding the heavy cream - 1/4 cup at a time.

once you add the last 1/4 cup of cream add the leeks and shrimp.

continue stirring the rice and season with black pepper to taste. 

cook the shrimp 7-10 minutes until they turn pink all around. 

the final product will be very creamy and have a delicate leek flavor.

when you make this, try not to overcook the shrimp.

this is a surprisingly light dish, perfect for summer. 

hope you try making this at home. thanks for stopping by!