Susan Jung's shrimp and saffron risotto with prawns
Seafood stock is an easy-to-make, inexpensive and delicious building block for dishes that celebrate the fruits of the ocean
Text Susan Jung / Photography Jonathan Wong / Styling Nellie Ming Lee
I'll confess: on occasion, I have used chicken stock that comes out of a can or in the shape of bouillon cubes, rather than the home-made stuff. But I've never used commercial seafood bouillon cubes because seafood stock is so cheap, quick and easy to make. Most of the time, I make it from fish bones and trimmings or shrimp heads and shells - by-products from other dishes - which I store in the freezer. When I'm out of those, I buy inexpensive fresh fish or shrimp. I make my seafood stock very simply, adding only water to the bones/shells/seafood but, if you like, you can also simmer the ingredients with leek, celery, carrot and/or fennel trimmings.
I made this dish with large, sweet Carabineros prawns, which, even when raw, have beautiful, deep-red shells (most prawns and shrimp turn pink only when cooked). Their large head contains lots of succulent, delicious sticky and gooey bits, which I refer to as the "guts" even if - anatomically - they seem to be in the wrong place. If you like eating the tomalley out of lobsters and the rich miso out of crabs, you'll love these prawn heads. If you don't, substitute another (cheaper) type of large prawn or shrimp.
Different types of Italian rice absorb different quantities of liquid; stop adding stock when the rice is at the correct texture and consistency for your tastes.