AUTHENTIC  ITALIAN  RECIPES

 FROM

 RISTORANTE  d'ANNAMARIA

COMPOSTA DI RISO CON GAMBERI E PEPERONI (Rice compote with shrimp and bell peppers)

Ingredients for 4 persons:

White rice (Calrose type)                   12 ounces

Extra virgin olive oil                          12 Tblspn.

Onion (fresh)                                    1

Vegetable broth from boullion cubes   1 quart

Jumbo fresh shrimp                           12

Cuttlefish rings (see below)                8 ounces

(At your pleasure, you may use fersh or frozen seafood)

White wine (not too sweet)                 4 ounces

Red bell pepper                                  ½

Green bell pepper                              ½

salt                                                   to taste

How to do it:

Prepare 1 quart of vegetable broth according to the instuctions on the boullion cube container.

Keep the broth boiling hot over medium low heat.

Mince the onion and place ½  of it in a large skillet with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and over medium high heat let the onion just begin to cook (wilt).

Add the rice to the skillet and stir for a minute.

Add boiling broth to the rice in the skillet one ladel at a time stirring constantly.

Cover the skillet and let the rice absorb the broth.

Do not add more broth until the rice has completely absorbed the previous ladel full.

Follow this procedure until the rice is completely cooked to your liking.

Put the other half of the minced onion in another skillet with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and sautee it over medium high heat.

Add the cuttle fish -

Note:

Cuttle fish is a relative of the squid and may be pretty difficult to find if you’re not near a lager city  or the ocean.  Squid can be substituted with no impact on the outcome of the dish.

By rings we mean the body portion cleaned and sliced cross-wise to form little rings.

After three minutes add the white wine and let it evaporate over high heat and then let it cook for 15 minutes.

Add the shrimp (head and all) to the cuttle fish and cook for an additional five minutes stirring often.

Wash clean out the seeds and cut into thin strips the red and green peppers  

(½  of each).

Fry the pepper strips in 4 tablespoons of olive oil for 10 minutes and add salt to taste.

Pile the cooked rice on a large serving platter and form a large ring in the center of the platter

Put the cooked peppers and seafood in the cavity in the center of the rice.

Serve immediately.