SAFFRON RISOTTO WITH COASTAL GEORGIA SWEET SHRIMP
(Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, adapted from "Pizza, Pasta & More!," Random House, 2000)

Yield:  Serves 2 as an entrée

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced shallots
1/2 cup Arborio rice
Pinch of saffron threads
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 to 1-1/2 cups homemade chicken stock, hot
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper
8 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and halved lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Minced fresh parsley leaves

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons each of butter and oil.  Add the garlic and shallots and sauté until soft.  Do not brown.

Add the rice and saffron and sauté until well coated with the oil.  Deglaze with wine and reduce until almost dry.

Using a 4-ounce ladle, add one ladle of boiling stock to the rice.  Stir the rice over medium heat until the stock is absorbed and the rice is almost dry.  Add another ladle of stock and repeat the procedure until you have added all the stock or just until the rice is tender but still firm.  It should be moist and creamy but not runny.

Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and the Parmesan cheese.  Season with salt and pepper and add more stock if necessary.

Season the shrimp with 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper.  Cook over a hot grill just until done.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and parsley.  Divide the risotto between 2 warm serving plates.  Top each with half the grilled shrimp.  Serve immediately.

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