Next, I sautéed finely chopped onion and fennel. The fennel’s mild anise notes were lovely, but it took a long time to lose its crunch. A smidge of baking soda raised the fennel’s pH, helping it (and the onion) break down faster. I then added the Arborio, cooked it until it turned translucent, and deglazed the pot with dry white wine before adding the stock.
Finally, I stirred in whole shrimp, but they were so big that I got a bite of shrimp in only every few forkfuls. Cutting the shrimp into pieces made for better distribution, but then they rapidly overcooked.
To solve the problem, I sprinkled the shrimp with salt before I prepared the risotto—the salt would be absorbed by the shrimp, helping keep them moist. Once the risotto was finished, I slid the pot off the burner and added the shrimp pieces, letting them cook to juicy, plump perfection in the residual heat. Parmesan, butter, chives, and lemon zest and juice enhanced the beautifully flavored, creamy rice.
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