Creamy Rice With Langoustines Recipe

This creamy langoustine risotto is my absolute comfort food, blending the rich flavors of indulgent seafood with a zesty lemon kick that just hits all the right notes. Plus, the satisfaction of stirring the rice and seeing it transform into a luscious, cheesy masterpiece makes me feel like a total culinary whiz!

I adore making plates that combine intense flavors with creamy textures, and my Creamy Rice with Langoustines is just that. I use Arborio rice, which is smooth and hearty, and begin it with the building blocks of flavor: olive oil, butter, finely chopped onions, and a seafood stock that has been enriched with a good dry white wine.

That’s all kinds of magical, but the true alchemy happens right at the finish. To that rib-sticking base, I add a generous drench of heavy cream and a good handful of freshly grated Parmesan.

That, my friends, is a million-dollar umami. Oh, and I can’t forget the two little bright notes that lighten everything: chopped flat-leaf parsley and lemon zest.

Ingredients

Arborio rice:
A creamy, dish-perfect, short-grain, high-starch rice.

Langoustines:
Provide a sweet, robust seafood taste, and supply lean protein.

Olive oil:
Offers nutritious lipids and a delectable, luscious scent.

Heavy cream:
Contributes depth and a silky mouthfeel to the dish.

Parmesan cheese:
Provides umami taste and increases the creaminess.

Lemon zest and juice:
Imparts radiance and balances the depth with zestiness.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups seafood stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 12 langoustines, peeled and deveined
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, warm the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the finely chopped onion and sauté until soft, about 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute, or until the smell of garlic permeates the air.

3. In the pan, put the Arborio rice and stir to ensure that each grain is coated with the oil and butter. Toast the rice for approximately 2 minutes.

4. Add the dry white wine, and stir continuously until the wine is completely absorbed by the rice.

5. Start incorporating the seafood stock, one cup at a time, permitting the rice to soak up the liquid before adding more. When you do add more stock, stir it in so that the rice has a chance to absorb it completely before it just becomes tender and the whole mass of rice is, well, massy. When you have added all the stock, the rice should be creamy with no excess liquid but somehow also not dry. This should take about 18-20 minutes from when you first started adding stock.

6. Incorporate the heavy cream and allow it to simmer for a minute, ensuring it is thoroughly combined with the rice.

7. Peeled and deveined langoustines are added to the pan. They cook until opaque and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.

8. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to the dish for the desired seasoning.

9. Take the pan off the heat and mix in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

10. Before you serve the creamy rice with langoustines, sprinkle it with the chopped fresh parsley. Then, serve it up hot.

Equipment Needed

1. Large skillet
2. Wooden spoon or spatula
3. Measuring spoons
4. Measuring cups
5. Chef’s knife
6. Cutting board
7. Grater or zester
8. Garlic press (optional)
9. Ladle
10. Mixing bowl (for combining ingredients later, if desired)

FAQ

• Q: Can I use a different type of rice?This dish is best made with Arborio rice, which is so creamy that it could almost be called “melted.” But you could use other short-grain varieties; the result might just be a tad less sumptuous.
• Q: What can I use instead of langoustines?If langoustines cannot be obtained, shrimp or prawns serve well as substitutes.
• Q: Can I make this recipe without wine?Q: Is it possible to make the Paella dish without wine?
  A: Yes, if you cannot use wine, you can substitute it with some extra seafood stock.
• Q: Is it necessary to use seafood stock?A: The flavor is enhanced when seafood stock is used, but you can substitute chicken or vegetable stock if need be.
• Q: How do I prevent the rice from becoming mushy?A: The best texture of rice is achieved when you add stock little by little and stir it in with a steady hand. As you do, the rice puffs and fills with the steam you’ve been generating by cooking the rice in a covered pot.
• Q: Can this dish be made ahead of time?A: You can make it ahead of time up to the point of adding the cream and langoustines, then finish it off right before you serve for the best results.
• Q: How do I maintain the creamy consistency if reheating?To restore the creamy texture when reheating, add a splash of stock or cream.

Substitutions and Variations

Substitute with avocado oil or sunflower oil for a similar cooking temperature and flavor neutrality.
Butter: If you have salted butter on hand, use it and adjust the recipe’s salt to account for the extra salt in butter. Otherwise, if you need or want a dairy-free option, go for margarine.
White wine: Replace with vegetable or chicken broth for a non-alcoholic alternative, or use vermouth if you desire a flavor profile similar to that of wine.
Seafood stock can be replaced with fish stock or chicken broth when seafood stock is not on hand.
If you need a lighter alternative to heavy cream, consider using half-and-half or a combination of milk and melted butter.

Pro Tips

1. Warm Stock Keep the seafood stock warm on a separate burner while gradually adding it to the rice. This helps maintain a consistent temperature and speeds up the absorption process, resulting in a smoother, creamier risotto.

2. Slow Stirring Stir the risotto frequently but not continuously. This helps build the creamy texture while allowing the rice to maintain a good bite. Too much stirring can break down the grains.

3. Deglazing with Wine When adding the white wine, ensure that the pan is hot enough for it to sizzle immediately. This deglazing step enhances the flavor by incorporating the fond (browned bits) from the bottom of the pan into the risotto.

4. Langoustines Timing Add the langoustines a couple of minutes before the risotto is fully done, as they cook quickly. Overcooking them can make them tough and chewy, so ensure they’re just opaque and cooked through before removing the pan from the heat.

5. Lemon Touch Add half the lemon zest and juice when you incorporate the langoustines and reserve the rest to add just before serving. This layered approach to adding lemon balances the acidity and enhances the fresh flavor.