Creamy Shrimp Risotto - Instant Pot

Quick to cook but bursting with fabulous flavor, this creamy shrimp risotto is made in an Instant Pot, with garlic herb Boursin added for extra richness.

I love eating risotto of any kind. It’s always a welcome bowl of comfort food, especially as the weather starts to turn chilly. 

Some days I love standing next to the warm stove, ladling in stock and stirring until the arborio rice releases its starch and turns into creamy wonderfulness worthy of the time and effort. 

And some days I don’t! That is when I turn to my handy Instant Pot which makes an equally lovely bowl of risotto, comparatively speaking, in mere minutes. It’s creamy even without the Boursin but don’t skip that ingredient! It adds herbs and a subtle cheesiness that makes each spoonful so very good. 

Creamy Shrimp Risotto - Instant Pot

The weight of the shrimp is AFTER peeling and deveining. I buy the already deveined easy-to-peel ones without heads. I used Knorr shrimp cubes to make the stock. This recipe is adapted from one on Food Network.

Ingredients

1 shallot

5 cloves garlic

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups or 300g arborio rice

1/2 cup or 120ml dry white wine

3 1/2 cups or 840ml seafood stock

1 lb or 450g peeled and deveined large shrimp

3/4 cup or 85g frozen peas, thawed

1 Boursin cheese, 5.2 oz or 150g, at room temperature (see photo below)

Zest 1 lemon, divided

Optional to serve: grated Parmesan

Method

Mince the shallot and garlic. 

Set an Instant Pot to sauté on the medium setting. When the pot is hot, add 2 tablespoons of the butter, then add the shallot, garlic and a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. 

Stir in the rice and cook until the rice is toasted, about 3 minutes. 

Stir in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pot, and cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Turn off the sauté function. 

[As you can imagine, photos of that step were nothing but steamy blurs!]

Stir the seafood stock into the pot. 

Close the lid and turn the steam valve to the sealing position. Set the pot to cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. 

While the rice is cooking, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. 

When the time is up, turn the valve to the venting position and release the steam completely. Be careful of any remaining steam and unlock the lid.

Add the seasoned shrimp in a single layer on top to the pot along with the peas. 

Turn the Instant Pot to “warm” mode. Close the lid and let the shrimp cook for 5 minutes. (Set a timer as the Instant Pot will count up but, at least on mine, there’s no way to set it to go off warm at a certain time.) 

Stir the shrimp into the rice, close the lid and leave on warm for 5 more minutes. (Set another timer!)

Add in the Boursin, lemon zest and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the risotto.

Stir until the cheese and butter are melted. 

Divide among bowls. Top with lemon zest. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Enjoy!

It's Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing our favorite risotto recipes. Check out the links below. 

• Creamy Shrimp Risotto - Instant Pot from Food Lust People Love
• Just in Time for Halloween: Spooky Risotto from Culinary Cam
• Risotto ai Funghi from Our Good Life
• Risotto with Chicken and Cranberries from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Shrimp Risotto from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Vegetarian Creamy Mushroom Risotto from Sneha's Recipe

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Leek and Lobster Mushroom Risotto

This Leek and Lobster Mushroom Risotto is a creamy, cheesy bowl of comfort food, brightened by the addition of a lovely Tuscan kale and pistachio pesto. I’ve shared that in separate post to make each recipe more manageable but include the ingredients list here also to make your shopping easier. 

First, let’s talk briefly about lobster mushrooms. I came across them in the bulk section of one of our fancier grocery stores in Houston called Central Market. The orange color caught my eye and then, of course, the idea of a dried mushroom that potentially tasted of lobster made me buy some. 

I’m here to report that despite the name, lobster mushrooms are actually a fungus. While I was certain they weren't crustaceans, I was surprised to learn that they are not actually mushrooms either. Learn something new every day! 

According to Wikipedia, and I quote, “Hypomyces lactifluorum, or the lobster mushroom, is a parasitic ascomycete fungus that grows on certain species of mushrooms, turning them a reddish orange color that resembles the outer shell of a cooked lobster.” And further along in the article: “They have a seafood-like flavor and a firm, dense texture.” Hence the name. 

You can see the color for yourself in my photos below. They did taste rather of seafood and were a great addition to risotto. You could easily make this a vegetarian friendly dish by using vegetable stock instead of chicken. 

Leek and Lobster Mushroom Risotto

This recipe is adapted from one in delicious magazine from the March 2022 issue. It can also be found online here. If you can’t find lobster mushrooms, substitute your favorites. 

Ingredients

For the risotto:

1.75oz or 21g dried lobster mushrooms

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large leeks (trimmed weight 1.1 lb or 500g)

2 garlic cloves

2 cups or 410g risotto rice (Arborio or Carnaroli)

3/4 cup or 175ml dry white wine

4 1/3 cups or 1L quality chicken stock

3 1/2 oz or 100g Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve

For the kale pesto:

Large bunch Tuscan kale or cavolo nero (Mine weighed 186g or 6 1/2 ozs)

1 3/4 oz or 50g shelled pistachios 

1 3/4 oz or 50g Parmesan or pecorino, finely grated

Finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon

2/3 cup or 100ml good quality olive oil

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Find instructions here: https://www.foodlustpeoplelove.com/2024/08/tuscan-kale-pistachio-pesto.html

Method

Soak the dried lobster mushrooms in 2 cups or 480ml boiling water until soft. Strain the liquid to remove any dirt or impurities and add it to the chicken stock. 

Chop the mushrooms roughly and set aside. 

Trim and discard the hard green parts of the leeks and wash the white parts well. Thinly slice them. 

Using the side of a big knife, crush the cloves of garlic then chop them roughly.

Melt the butter in a deep sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the oil, leeks and a pinch of salt, then cover and cook, stirring regularly, for 8-10 minutes until very soft. In a separate pan, heat the stock over a low heat.

Add the garlic to the leeks and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the rice and stir to coat in butter and oil. 

Increase the heat to high, then pour in the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes until absorbed. 

Turn the heat back down to medium high. Gradually add the warmed stock, one ladleful at a time, stirring continuously. Wait until each addition of stock has almost all been absorbed before adding the next. 

Continue until you’ve added all the stock and the rice is al dente (still has some bite.) 

Stir in the grated Parmesan and the chopped lobster mushrooms.  

Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve as is or topped with Tuscan kale and pistachio pesto. 

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 18th edition of the 2024 Alphabet Challenge, brought to you by the letter R. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the R recipes below:

• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Cheeseburger Broccoli Rice Soup Casserole 
• Food Lust People Love: Leek and Lobster Mushroom Risotto 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Pan-Seared Scallops with Black Beans and Red Pepper Sauce 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Pineapple Fried Rice 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Pressure Cooker Rice Kheer With Homemade Masala Milk Powder 
• A Messy Kitchen: Rabrabrakake: Norwegian Rhubarb Cake 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Ragi Shavige Uppitu 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Raspberry Ricotta Pancakes 
• Magical Ingredients: Red lentil Paratha 
• Palatable Pastime: Ring Noodle Tuna Salad (Minnesota Style)
• Blogghetti: Roasted Rosemary Potato Peelings 
• Culinary Cam: Rose Petal-Strawberry Granita 

Here are my posts for the alphabet challenge, thus far:
A: Anchovy Deviled Eggs
B: Spicy Braised Ginger Pork Belly
C: Cecilie's Favorite Coleslaw
D: Cajun Chicken Eggplant Dressing
E: Everything Pizza Tartin
F: Baked Chicken and Feta Meatballs
G: Grape Juice Jigglers
H: Crispy Bacon-wrapped Chicken Hearts
I: Raspberry Rhubarb Ice Cream
J: Java Dry Spice Mix Chops 

K. Korean Barbecue-style Meatballs 

L. Easy Lamb and Fresh Tomato Curry 

M. Fresh Mint Sauce 

N. Miso Butter Noodles 

O. Spicy Orange Braised Short Ribs 

P. Homemade Piri Piri Sauce 

Q, Cointreau Glazed Orange Quick Bread 

R. Leek and Lobster Mushroom Risotto - this post!

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Chinese Sausage Broccolini Fried Rice

This Chinese sausage broccolini fried rice is seasoned with onion, garlic and ginger, plus fresh chili peppers, for a lovely spicy explosion of flavor. This is one of our favorite meals! 

Have you ever tried Chinese sausage aka lap cheong or xuong? Made with pork and pork fat and sometimes duck liver, it is normally smoked, sweetened, and seasoned with rice wine and soy sauce. 

You do have to peel the skin off before cooking but it's not hard to do. I love the way the flavorful fat renders out so I always start a stir-fry by cooking the sausage. That way I can stir-fry in it without adding extra oil. 

Chinese Sausage Broccolini Fried Rice

If you aren’t into spicy food, the chili peppers can be left out or reduced. They do add a lovely fresh heat though. 

Ingredients

4 Chinese sausage (lap cheong)

2 in or 5cm fresh ginger

1/2 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

2 red chili peppers, plus extra for garnish, if desired

7 oz or 200g broccolini aka tenderstem broccoli

3 cups or 375g day-old cooked rice

2-3 tablespoons lighter sodium soy sauce or more to taste

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

For garnish: 1-2 green onions, green parts only, sliced 

Method

Remove the skins from the sausage and slice them at an angle. 

Peel the ginger, onion and garlic. Slice the peppers. Mince them all finely. Or, if you prefer, pop them all in a small food processor to mince. 

Trim the ends from the broccolini and cut the floret parts off and set them aside. Cut the stems into bite-sized pieces. 

In a wok or a large pan with plenty of room for all of your ingredients, fry the sliced sausage until browned. Tip the pan to the side to remove the sausage to a bowl, leaving behind the oil that came out of them. 

Add in the minced ginger, onion, garlic and peppers. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring often. 

Add in the broccolini stems and cook till just tender but still crunchy.

Add in the rice and stir to combine well with the stems and seasonings. Cook for a couple of minutes or until the rice is heated through. 

Push the mixture to one side of your pan and add in the lightly beaten egg. I like to use long cooking chopsticks to stir them as they cook to create small curds. 

Once the eggs are cooked, combine them with the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle on the soy sauce and sesame oil, tossing lightly to combine.

Add in the broccolini florets. Stir and toss for a couple of minutes then add the sausage back in. Stir and cook until the sausage is hot again and the florets are lightly cooked.

Taste the rice and add a little more soy sauce, if desired.

Serve topped with the green onions and sliced chili peppers, if using.

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing quick stir-fries! Check out the tasty recipe links below: 

• Aloo Methi Bhaji (Fenugreek Microgreens Stir-Fry) from Cook with Renu
• Cashew Chicken from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cashew Chicken & Snap Peas from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Chicken Liver & Gizzard Stir Fry from Sneha's Recipe
• Chinese Sausage Broccolini Fried Rice from Food Lust People Love
• Ham, Shrimp, and Chinese Sausage Fried Rice from Karen's Kitchen Stories

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Crawfish Fried Rice

An easy one pot meal, this spicy crawfish fried rice includes carrots and cabbage and is seasoned with garlic, ginger and chili peppers. It’s an ideal way to turn leftover rice into a tasty new delight. 

During crawfish season here in the US south, a lot of restaurants advertise boiled crawfish specials. One nearby, serving a mix of Vietnamese and American fare, did something different: crawfish fried rice. Well, you know I had to go and try it! Shout out to Hughie's! 

It was very tasty and I couldn’t wait to get home and try to make my own version. Fortunately frozen crawfish are readily available year round in the freezer section at all my local grocery stores so we don’t have to wait for crawfish season to enjoy this dish. 

My only regret is that my grandmother isn't still here so I could make it for her. She was an adventurous eater and one of her favorite restaurants in her small Louisiana town was a Chinese buffet. True story: We held the celebration of my grandparents gold anniversary (50 years of marriage) in that very restaurant. 

They had a function room so we were able to speechify and honor them but still enjoy my grandmother's favorite dishes. (And my speech was well-received and everyone laughed in the appropriate places, a boost to the young speech writer that I was.)  It was a good time! 

Crawfish Fried Rice

This recipe makes about 3-4 servings, depending on how hungry your eaters are. If you can’t find cooked, frozen crawfish where you live, substitute cooked shrimp instead. 

Ingredients

1 medium carrot

1/4 medium cabbage

4 cloves garlic

2 in or 5cm knob ginger

2 small red chili peppers

2 tablespoons canola or other light oil

5 cups or 650g day-old cold, cooked rice 

12 oz or 340g cooked crawfish tails

1 egg

1 teaspoon oyster sauce

2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Optional: 2-3 sprigs cilantro for garnish

Method

Peel, crush and mince the garlic. Peel and mince the ginger. Finely slice the chili peppers and discard the stems. Peel or scrub the carrot and cut it into matchsticks. Core the cabbage and slice it thinly. 

In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the oyster sauce and set aside. 

Heat canola oil in wok or a large non-stick skillet. Add in the garlic, ginger and chili peppers. 

Cook for a minute or two and then add in the carrot. 

Cook another two minutes and push the ingredients to the sides of the pan. Pour in the egg and cook stirring until the egg is done and it’s in small curds. 

Stir everything together again then add the crawfish.  

Cook on high heat for 30 seconds then add the rice. 

Stir well to combine the rice with the other ingredients, then add the sliced cabbage.

Cook until the rice starts to get crispy then pour in the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and sesame oil. Stir again to combine. 

Serve garnished with cilantro, if desired. 

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing recipes made with rice as a central ingredient. Many thanks to our host, Sneha of Sneha’s Recipe. Check out the link list below.

• Crawfish Fried Rice from Food Lust People Love
• Insalata da Riso from Pandemonium Noshery
• Instant Pot Chicken and Rice from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Palak Rice from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Pork Stir Fry Skillet from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Quick Shrimp Fried Rice with Peas and Carrots from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Spanish Rice from Palatable Pastime
• Split Green Moong Khichdi /Chilkewali Moong Dal Khichdi from Sneha’s Recipe

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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