Ancora's Matane shrimp risotto

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It's not truly spring until you have a plate of something with fresh seafood on the patio. At Ancora Waterfront Dining in Vancouver, chef Ricardo Valverde created this Peruvian-inspired Matane shrimp risotto as a part of the 2019 pescatarian tasting menu for the month of April. Here's how you can create it at home.

2 shallots, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 splash white wine
200 g par-cooked Arborio rice
2 cups chicken stock
80 g fresh Matane shrimp
1 tbsp cauliflower puree
1 pinch preserved lemon
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp roasted hazelnuts
lemon juice
1 pinch chopped fresh thyme
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
salt, to taste
chopped chives, for garnish

In a sauce pan, sweat shallots and garlic with a splash of olive oil. Remove pan from heat and deglaze with white wine.

Add pre-cooked rice and enough chicken stock to barely cover the rice.

Let the liquid reduce, then check the doneness of the rice (needs to be al dente). Add more stock if rice needs to be cooked longer.

Once rice is al dente, add the rest of the ingredients and bring back to heat for a quick simmer.

Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula to incorporate all ingredients.

Adjust seasoning if necessary, with more salt and lemon juice.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower puree

1 onion, sliced
1 leek (white part only), sliced
1 head cauliflower, shredded
1/2 cup butter
1 splash heavy cream

Melt butter in a pan over low heat, and add onions leek and cauliflower. Look until softened, making sure it doesn’t get any colour.

Once all are cooked, add a splash of heavy cream and reduce cream by half. Transfer to blender and purée.

Adjust seasoning and reserve.

Preserved lemon

30 g salt
15 g sugar
1 lemon

In a pot over high heat, bring 3L of water to a boil with salt and sugar.

Once water is boiling, transfer 1L of water to another pot and boil one whole lemon for 3 minutes. Transfer boiled lemon to a bowl of ice water.

Repeat these steps twice.