053 / 100 · Fish, Pork, and Sunday Suppers

Creamy Shrimp and Sweet Pea Rice

4 bowls Active 30 min Total 45 min

This creamy rice supper borrows a risotto-style method without adding cheese that would distract from the shrimp. Arborio rice releases enough starch to bind the stock, while a small finish of cream rounds the texture. Peas add sweetness and green color. The shrimp go in near the end, where they can cook gently rather than spending the full half hour in the pan. Warm stock keeps the simmer steady, and a broad wooden spoon helps you stir along the bottom without breaking the rice grains.

Jump to the ingredients

Plump pink shrimp and green peas nestled in creamy rice in a shallow yellow bowl.

Creaminess comes from the rice

Do not rinse arborio rice for this dish. Its surface starch is useful, gradually thickening the liquid as you stir. You do not need to stir constantly, but pass the spoon across the bottom frequently so no patch sticks. Add more warm stock when the previous addition is mostly absorbed, keeping the grains moist rather than letting the pan become dry between additions.

Finish the shrimp together

Choose peeled shrimp of roughly the same size so they cook at a similar rate. Frozen shrimp should be thawed in the refrigerator before starting. Nestle them into the hot rice and turn them once, checking the largest pieces for 145°F. Their flesh should become pearly and opaque. The finished rice should slowly spread in the bowl; stir in a little reserved hot water if it has tightened while the shrimp cook.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups (840 ml) low-sodium vegetable stock, explicitly without chili or pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (200 g) arborio rice
  • 1 lb (450 g) raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
  • 1 cup frozen peas (140 g)
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Set out

Medium saucepan, Large deep skillet or wide saucepan, Wooden spoon, Instant-read thermometer

Allergens

Crustacean shellfish (shrimp), milk. Check ingredient labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Warm the stock in the saucepan over low heat and keep it hot without boiling hard. Melt the butter in the deep skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and cook for 4 minutes until soft.
  2. Add the unwashed arborio rice and stir for 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup hot stock and simmer gently, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
  3. Continue adding hot stock about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring often and letting each addition mostly absorb before the next. After about 18 minutes, the rice should be almost tender with a slight firmness at the center.
  4. Stir in the peas and remaining stock. Nestle the shrimp into the rice and simmer for 5–7 minutes, turning them once, until the rice is tender and the thickest shrimp reach 145°F (63°C) and are opaque throughout. If the rice needs longer, add hot water a few tablespoons at a time.
  5. Stir in the cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Warm for 1 minute, then serve immediately in four bowls. The mixture should be creamy and loose, not stiff.

A useful detail

Rice absorbs liquid differently between brands. Keep a kettle of hot water available for the final adjustment rather than adding cold water to the hot pan.

Make it your own

  • Replace half the peas with small asparagus pieces, adding them with the peas.
  • Use finely chopped chives in place of the lemon zest for a quieter herbal finish.

Keep it well

Divide immediately into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly, always within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Do not cool in the deep pan. Store at 40°F (4°C) or colder for up to 2 days. Reheat, stirring and adding water as needed, to 165°F (74°C).