GAMBERI CON RISO (ITALY)

Gamberi con Riso

From my personal Authentic Recipe Collection

This dish makes a delicious main meal or center meal.  Serve with tossed salad,  and wine. 

This recipe is very easy to make, and does not take long to prepare.

Ingredients     -      Serves  4

2 oz. [1/4 cup] butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
I medium-sized red pepper, deseeded and chopped
4 oz. button mushrooms, wiped clean and chopped
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
12 oz. [2 cups] Italian rice, such as avorio
12 oz. frozen shrimps, thawed and shelled
1 1/2 pints [3 3/4 cups] boiling water
2 oz. [1/2 cup] Parmesan cheese, grated

Preparation

· In a large, heavy frying-pan, melt half the butter with the oil over moderately high heat. When the foam subsides, reduce the heat to moderate. Add the onion, garlic and pepper and fry them, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent but not brown. Stir in the mushrooms, basil, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

· Add the rice, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimps and cook for I minute. Add approximately one-third of the boiling water. Regulate the heat so that the rice is bubbling all the time. Stir the rice occasionally with a fork. When the rice swells and the liquid is absorbed, add another one-third of the water. Continue cooking the rice in this way until the rice is tender and moist but still firm.

· Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining butter and the cheese. Turn the mixture into a warmed serving dish and serve at once.

Gamberi con Riso is a succulent Italian mixture of rice, shrimps, vegetables and Parmesan cheese.